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Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Timothy V. Johnson today announced the award of close to $350,000 for emergency food and shelter assistance in 10 counties throughout the 15th Congressional District.
The money is through the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program, a federal program administered by Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The following counties and the funding they will receive are:
Champaign, $90,006
Coles, $26,186
Crawford, $11,216
Lawrence, $9,120
McLean, $70,544
Macon, $65,823
Saline, $16,628
Vermilion, $49,333
Wabash, $7,104
White, $8,706
The funding is controlled by local boards within each civil jurisdiction. In the case of Champaign and McLean counties, for example, local United Ways receive the funding for distribution. In Vermilion County, it’s Danville Township and in Macon it is the Northeast Community Fund.
“We’re pleased to make these announcements,” said Rep. Johnson. “These funds can make or break a lot of families who are not in a position to help themselves through no fault of their own.”
Additional jurisdictions in the district and throughout the state may be selected at a later date by the EFS State Set-Aside Committee. The EFS National Board is chaired by FEMA and composed of representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; United Jewish Communities; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; The Salvation Army; and United Way of America, provides supplemental funding to shelters, soup kitchens, and food banks. One-month awards for rent, mortgage, and utility assistance are also available. The funds are used to help individuals and families with non-disaster, temporary emergency needs.
In each funded jurisdiction, a Local Board advertises the availability of the funds, establishes local priorities, selects local non-profit and government agencies to receive supplemental funding, and monitors program compliance. The Local Board’s composition mirrors the EFS Program National Board, with a local government official replacing FEMA and board members voting to select their chair.
The EFS Program has been in existence since 1983 and was authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. With the FY 2008 allocation, more than $3.105 billion in federal aid will have been disbursed through the EFS Program since its inception to communities nationwide, and has accounted for millions of additional meals and nights of shelter to the hungry and homeless most in need across the nation.
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