Arizona Counties Receive $2.5 Million fromFEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program Fund 

Release Date: December 1, 2000
Release Number: R9-00-22

» 2000 Region IX News Releases

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that Arizona will receive more than $2.5 million from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) fund. This money will be distributed to 15 Arizona counties to help nonprofit and local government agencies feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and prevent hunger and homelessness during fiscal year 2001 (Oct. 1, 2000 through Sept. 30, 2001). More than $140 million will be distributed via EFSP nationwide.

"The Emergency Food and Shelter Program's supplemental funds continue to assist thousands of people facing non-disaster emergencies," said FEMA Director James Lee Witt. "Over the past 18 years, Congress has appropriated more than $2 billion for this program."

"The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program is an outstanding model of public/private partnership and this year's record setting appropriation is attributed to the stewardship by the National Board and the administration by the local agencies," said EFSP National Board Chairperson Kay Goss, who is FEMA's Associate Director for Preparedness, Training and Exercises. "Each year, the National Board develops a formula based on national unemployment and poverty rates to determine funding distribution." The EFSP National Board has representatives from the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, Council of Jewish Federations, The United Way, and The National Council of Churches.

The public/private partnership carries through to the grassroots level as local boards determine how to use EFSP funds in their communities. Each jurisdiction (county/city) receiving EFSP funds establishes a local board whose composition mirrors the National Board. Local boards advertise the availability of funds, establish local priorities, select the nonprofit and government agencies to receive EFSP funding and monitor program compliance.

"We all take great pride in a program that so efficiently distributes federal funds by relying on a continuing partnership between FEMA and dedicated charitable organizations," Witt said. "With a minimum of paperwork and bureaucracy, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program is an example of how the federal government can help communities help themselves."

The following is a list of dollar amounts Arizona counties will receive.

Apache County$68,662
Cochise County$50,272
Coconino County$93,373
Gila County$28,373
Graham County$20,196
Greenlee County$8,073
La Paz County$13,722
Maricopa County$1,070,665
Mohave County$68,018
Navajo County$97,474
Pima County$325,025
Pinal County$88,549
Santa Cruz County$52,928
Yavapai County$52,954
Yuma County$479,734
Arizona Total$2,518,018

Last Modified: Tuesday, 18-Nov-2003 15:56:29