United Way of Washington County (UWWC) and the Washington County Local Board for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) announces the distribution of $416,410 in funding to local organizations to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services to people who are hungry, homeless, and in economic crisis. The Emergency Food and Shelter Program is a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA).
These funds were made available as part of the Phase 39 and ARPA-R (additional allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021). To be eligible, applicants who submitted requests had to be nonprofit organizations, churches, or units of government that have demonstrated the ability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs. The following funds were awarded:
Phase 39: 11/01/2021 - 02/28/2023 Period - $101,793
SPHS Connect, Inc. - $71,618 (for mass shelter and other shelter)
Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA - $28,139 (for mass shelter)
UWWC - $2,036 (funds awarded to administer the program)
ARPA-R: 11/01/2021 - 02/28/2023 Period - $314,617
Food Helpers/Greater Washington County Food Bank - $62,313 (for other non-served food)
Genesis - $23,593 (for served meals, non-served food, and mass shelter)
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank - $62,146 (for other non-served food)
North Ten Mile Baptist Church - $10,323 (for other non-served food, and supplies/equipment)
The Salvation Army (Mon Valley) - $31,547 (for non-mass shelter, rent/mortgage, utilities metered, and utilities non-metered)
The Salvation Army (Washington) - $46,135 (for rent/mortgage, utilities metered, and utilities non-metered)
Washington Christian Outreach - $16,470 (for served meals)
Washington City Mission - $55,798 (for served meals and other non-served food)
UWWC - $6,292 (funds awarded to administer the program)
The funds will be distributed directly to the agencies by the EFSP National Board. Program funds are used to provide the following: food, in the form of served meals or groceries, lodging in a mass shelter or hotel, one month's rent or mortgage payment, one month's utility bill, and supplies/equipment necessary to feed or shelter people. A jurisdiction may use up to 2% of its award for administrative purposes.
The United Way of Washington County took the lead and administered the EFSP after an eleven-year absence in Washington County. The last time EFSP funds were distributed in Washington County was in 2011. The Local Board for Washington County was established with the UWWC Executive Director elected by the board to serve as the Chair of the local EFSP board which reviewed the applications and approved the funding allocations.
“Once the United Way of Washington County learned of the availability of EFSP funds, our staff stepped up to make sure that another year did not go by without taking the lead to establish the Local Board to oversee this funding for food and shelter resources. The mission of the United Way of Washington County is to unite people, resources, and organization to improve lives in Washington County. We are honored to be able to serve in this role as the EFSP Lead for Washington County to fulfill our mission by ensuring that these much-needed funds are available in our community,” said P. Ann Hrabik, MBA, CFRE, Executive Director of the United Way of Washington County and who also served as the Local EFSP Board Chair.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program was established on March 24, 1983, with the signing of the "Jobs Stimulus Bill," Public Law 98-8. That legislation created a National Board, chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that consisted of representatives of the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, The Jewish Federations of North America, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide.
Anyone seeking assistance with food, shelter or utility payments in Washington County should contact one of the organizations listed above. For more information about the EFSP, please visit www.efsp.unitedway.org . For more information about the United Way of Washington County, please visit www.unitedwaywashco.org .