Counties Awarded Funds for Emergency Food and Shelter Program  

( WASHINGTON , DC ) – U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn) announced today that funding has been awarded to Minnesota ’s Seventh District by the Emergency Food and Shelter (EFS) Program. This program helps to prevent homelessness, and feed and shelter the nation's hungry and homeless.

The following jurisdictions are receiving funds: Becker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater , Marshall , Pennington, Roseau and Todd Counties .

Peterson noted that the funding was made available by the Congress for the National Board of the Emergency Food and Shelter (EFS) Program to support social service agencies in more than 2,500 cities and counties across the country. EFS grant funds are used to supplement food, shelter, rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs for people with non-disaster related emergencies.

“This is a successful and meaningful program that provides food and shelter to those who need a helping hand,” Peterson said. “The local organizations that receive these funds do a tremendous job in light of the growing need for services, especially in these winter months.”

The EFS Program, entering its twenty-fifth year, is administered by a National Board of voluntary agencies chaired by FEMA.  Member agencies of the National Board include American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA ; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. ; The Salvation Army; United Jewish Communities; and United Way of America .

In each funded jurisdiction, a Local Board advertises the availability of the funds, establishes local priorities, selects local non-profit and government agencies to receive supplemental funding, and monitors program compliance.  The Local Board’s composition mirrors the EFS Program National Board, with a local government official replacing FEMA and board members voting to select their chair.

The EFS Program has been in existence since 1983 and was authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987.  The EFS Program has distributed more than $2.952 billion to communities nationwide, and has accounted for millions of additional meals and nights of shelter to the hungry and homeless most in need across the nation.

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