17,556 families will be eligible for the fourteenth distribution of the State Funded Food Distribution Scheme (SFFD), Social Policy Minister Michael Falzon said.

Falzon replied to a parliamentary question asked by PN MP Paula Mifsud Bonnici on Wednesday, wherein she asked the Minister to divulge how many persons today benefit from the distribution scheme, and how many benefited from it year by year.

Mifsud Bonnici also asked Falzon to divulge what the food packets include, as well as the timeframe between each distribution.

Falzon said that the next distribution to take place will be the 14th distribution and the number of eligible families in the upcoming distribution is 17,556.

He said that there are three different types of boxes: Box 1, 2, and 3. The type of box that families receive depends on the category of need that the family falls under.

Box 1 consists of three cans of tomato paste, three packets of pasta, three cans of tuna, and a packet of rice.

Box 2 consists of the same items as Box 1 with the difference of another pasta packet.

Box 3 consists of the same items as Box 1 but has two additional cans of tomato paste, two additional cans of tuna, and another packet of pasta.

Falzon said that the food distribution occurs twice a year, usually around May and September. The distribution is carried out by dividing the number of eligible families into 28 distribution centres around Malta and Gozo.

He said that eligible families are informed by letter, which also includes the date and location for when and where they should collect the box they are entitled to.

The general eligibility criteria for the scheme are households in receipt of non-contributory benefit (Unemployment Assistance, Special Unemployment Benefit, Social Assistance, Social Assistance Board and Single Unmarried Parent) and households eligible for non-contributory means tested Age Pension with single status.