Ravenna – The United Way of Portage County (UWPC) Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) has received two grant awards, $58,482 (EFSP Phase 39) and $180,754 (Phase ARPA-R (American Rescue Plan Act)) from the EFSP National Board Program, a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Funds received from EFSP National are used to supplement emergency food and shelter programs, including utility assistance in Portage County. Funds will be made available for housing, utility, and food assistance programs.
The amount of the award each county throughout the United States receives is based upon the total number of unemployed persons as compared to the total number of unemployed persons in all qualifying jurisdictions. Funds for the EFSP program are appropriated annually by Congress and administered by a national board of non-profit organizations including: United Way Worldwide; the American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; United Jewish Communities; The Salvation Army; The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA.
The Portage County Emergency Food and Shelter Board is composed of local representatives of the national organization listed above as well as Portage County government, local housing authority, emergency management agency, and non-profit organizations serving low-income households. The local board is accountable to the national board for the use and awarding of the funds.
The Portage County EFSP Board has distributed EFSP funds for decades. In 2021 Family and Community Services, Inc., Change Hunger Inc, and Community Action Council of Portage County, Inc. were awarded funding.
Organizations interested in applying or that would like more information should contact Bill Childers, Chair of the UWPC EFSP Board at 330.297.1424, billc@uwportage.org or complete an online application at https://www.uwportage.org/ Completed applications must be received by 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
