FEMA Announces $200m In Emergency Food And Shelter Program Awards For 2010 

Release Date: December 31, 2009
Release Number: HQ-09-161

The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal funds totaling $200 million has been awarded to assist organizations dedicated to feeding, sheltering, and providing critical resources to our nation's hungry and homeless.

Funding was made available by Congress for the National Board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) to support social service agencies in more than 2,500 cities and counties across the country.

"The EFSP provides an important resource to support our communities and our most vulnerable citizens," said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. "As we work to build our nation's emergency response team, it is important that we recognize the diverse assistance that our agency is able to bring to bear, and ensure we are leveraging those resources for those who need it most."

EFSP grant funds are used to supplement food, shelter, rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs for people with non-disaster related emergencies.

These funds are in addition to $100 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, announced in April 2009.

The EFSP is administered by a National Board, chaired by Berl D. Jones Jr. of FEMA, with representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; The Jewish Federations of North America; The Salvation Army; and, United Way Worldwide. United Way Worldwide serves as Secretariat and Fiscal Agent to the National Board.

EFSP funding is allocated to qualifying jurisdictions based on thresholds involving population, unemployment and poverty levels both nationally and locally. Grants are then awarded to non-profit community and government organizations that are chosen by Local Boards in the qualifying jurisdictions. This year's awards bring the total aid disbursed in the EFSP's twenty-seven year history to more than $3.6 billion.

A state-by-state list of the eligible jurisdictions and award amounts is available at www.efsp.unitedway.org .

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.