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Huntington County to get national EFSP funds for emergency programs

Huntington County has been notified that it will be awarded federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) funds through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as appropriated by Congress.

Huntington County has been recommended to receive an estimated $6,002 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county.

The selection is made by a national board that is chaired and awarded through the U.S. Dept of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army, United Jewish Communities and United Way of America. The Local Board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.

A local board made up of nonprofit and city and county leadership will determine how the funds awarded to Huntington County are to be distributed among local agencies in the area. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds. In anticipation of this award and deadlines, the local EFSP board is encouraging local agencies that meet requirements to apply for the funds.

Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must be private voluntary nonprofits or units of government, be eligible to receive federal funds, have an accounting system, practice nondiscrimination, have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs and  if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board.

Huntington County has distributed Emergency Food and Shelter funds previously with Community and Family Services/Huntington House and Catholic Charities, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.

Nonprofit organizations or public agencies interested in applying for Phase 35 Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must contact Kyle Metzger, president/CEO of the United Way of Huntington County for an application. He can be contacted at The United Way of Huntington County, PO Box, 347, Huntington, IN 46750; 356-6160; or at kmetzger@huntingtonunitedway.com.

The deadline for applications to be received is June 6. The local board will meet on June 6.