Washington County has been awarded $11,677 in Federal funds made available through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (ESFP).
A local board chaired by Kristin Brandner, United Way of Washington County Executive Director, is charged to distribute the funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-areas of need around the County. The 2013 amount awarded is based on the total number of unemployed and people in poverty in the county as compared to other jurisdictions.
The local Washington County Emergency Food and Shelter (EFSP) Board will distribute funds to qualifying agencies that apply for funding for services provided in 2013. Under the terms of the federal grant, local agencies chosen to receive funds must: 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) be eligible to receive Federal funds, 3) have an accounting system, 4) practice nondiscrimination, 5) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 6) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.
The Washington County EFSP Board, made up of the United Way of Washington County, Department of Social Services, Family Promise, Friends of Abused Families, St. Vincent DePaul Society, Full Shelf Food Pantry, Youth & Family Project, and other agencies and individuals, will determine how the funds awarded to Washington County will be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in the area for services provided in 2013. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds.
For services provided in 2012, the Washington County EFSP Board distributed $13,589 in Emergency Food and Shelter funds to Family Promise, Friends of Abused Families, and Youth & Family Project. These agencies were responsible for providing 3949 nights of emergency shelter in 2012.
The 2013 EFSP funding award was made by a National Board that is chaired by the U. S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and consists of representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; The Jewish Federations of North America, The Salvation Army; and, United Way Worldwide.
Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds should contact Kristin Brandner or Karin Westerlund, at the United Way of Washington County office, (262) 338-3821, by Wednesday, December 11th.