FARMINGTON – The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) is a federal program administered nationally by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is designed to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services for the nation’s hungry, homeless, and people in economic crisis.
On behalf of Franklin County, the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area (UWTVA) convenes the local EFSP board, which determines the allocation of this money to area organizations who meet the criteria of the program. Past recipients include, but are not limited to; Clearwater Ministries, United Methodist Economic Ministry, Wilton Area Food Pantry, SeniorsPlus, Tri-Town Ministerial Association, Care and Share Food Closet, Stratton/Eustis Food Pantry, Safe Voices, Phillips Area Food Pantry and the Town of Carthage.
Please call the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area at 778-5048 for application details. Application materials are also available online at www.uwtva.org. Deadline for applications is March 31, 2011.
Please note, the status of funding for fiscal year 2011 is still undetermined due to federal budget negotiations that are continuing at the time of this release. However, local boards are being encouraged to begin the application process. This will ensure that when and if funding becomes available for Franklin County, we will be ready to issue grants to qualifying non-profit organizations. Through the EFSP program, UWTVA has allocated more than $130,000 in emergency food and shelter assistance in the last seven years.
