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Stimulus money will help hungry, homeless folks
Friday, July 3, 2009
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\A national board has chosen Charles County to receive $31,828 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the federal stimulus law.
The board is headed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency and has representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Salvation Army, United Jewish Communities and United Way of America.
A local board, which will include representatives of the Charles County government and local nonprofit human service organizations, will determine how the funds awarded to Charles County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service organizations in the area. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive the funds made available through the ARRA.
Under the terms of the grant from the national board, local organizations chosen to receive funds must be private voluntary nonprofits or units of government; be eligible to receive federal funds; have an accounting system; practice nondiscrimination; have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs; and if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board. Qualifying organizations are urged to apply.
Charles County has distributed emergency food and shelter funds to Catholic Charities' Angel's Watch Regional Shelter, Catholic Charities' Charles County Family Center, Charles County Children's Aid Society, Wayside Food Bank, LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Neighbors Eager to Serve, St. Vincent de Paul Society and South Potomac Church.
These agencies were responsible for providing more than 3,300 meals, assisting 20 families with emergency rent or mortgage help, providing over 916 bed nights of shelter and assisting 41 families with utility payments in 2008.
Public or private voluntary organizations interested in applying for ARRA emergency food and shelter program funds must contact Dorothy Harper, chairwoman of the Charles County Homeless and Emergency Shelter Committee, at 301-609-4844 for an application.
The deadline is July 3.
