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Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) Portage County Receives EFSP Grant (February 28, 2008) The Portage County Emergency Food and Shelter Board announced today that Portage County will receive $109,697 (an increase of $10,328 from the previous year) from the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP), a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Funds received from EFSP are used to supplement emergency food and shelter programs (including utility assistance) in the county. Of the total amount available 30% will be made available for housing programs, 30% for utility programs, and 40% for food assistance. The amount of the award each county receives is based on its total population, the county’s unemployment rate, and the total number of families living below the poverty rate. Funds for the EFSP program are appropriated by Congress each year and administered by a national board of major non-profit organizations. These organizations are United Way of America; The American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; United Jewish Communities; The Salvation Army; and The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. The Portage County Emergency Food and Shelter Board is composed of representatives of the above agencies as well as county government, the local housing authority, the emergency management agency, private citizens, and non-profit agencies serving the target population of low-income households. The local board is held accountable to the national board for the use and allocation of the funds. According to the terms of the grant from the national board, local governmental or private voluntary organizations chosen to receive funds must: (1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, (2) have an accounting system, (3) practice non-discrimination, (4) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and (5) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board. The Portage County Emergency Food and Shelter Board has distributed Emergency Food and Shelter funds previously. In 2007, Family and Community Services, Inc., Change Hunger, Inc., and Community Action Council of Portage County, Inc. were awarded funding. These agencies were responsible for providing 18,000 meals; 143 utility payments; and 69 rental payments for qualifying households in Portage County with these funds. Organizations interested in applying or who would like more information, please contact Steve Kleiber, Chairman of the Portage County Emergency Food and Shelter Board, at (330)297-1424, ext. 112 or pick up an application packet at United Way of Portage County, 218 West Main Street, Ravenna, Ohio, 44266, Monday-Friday from 8:30a.m.-4:30p.m. Completed applications must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at the United Way of Portage County office. ### |
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