CHENANGO COUNTY – Chenango County has been awarded $15,044 in funds from the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.

EFSP is a subdivision of FEMA. In 2022, more than $25,000 was allocated to Chenango County and several local food pantries and soup kitchens received funding.

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program National Board is chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from the Salvation Army, American Red Cross, United Jewish Communities, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA and the United Way Worldwide.

The board has been charged with distributing the funds appropriated through Congress to help expand the capacity of emergency food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country, especially in the era of the post-COVID 19 pandemic.

The local Chenango County EFSP Board is made up of representatives from the United Way of Mid Rural New York, Catholic Charities of Chenango County, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Chenango County government, NBT Bank, NYS Department of Labor, Area Agency on Aging, the Broad Street Methodist Church and the Norwich Family YMCA.

The local Board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive the EFSP Funding under the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

Under the terms of the grant, local agencies will be eligible to apply for 2023 (Phase 40) funding as of February 6, 2023. Applicant agencies must be: 1) private voluntary non-profits or units of government; 2) have an accounting system; 3) practice non-discrimination; 4) have demonstrated the capacity to deliver emergency shelter programming, emergency utility programming, or emergency food programming; 5) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a governing voluntary board; 6) have a DUNS/UEI number and 7) have the ability to receive funds electronically. All qualifying agencies are urged to apply.

Agencies interested in applying must contact the United Way of Mid Rural New York office, 83 N. Broad St., Norwich, NY 13815 or call (607) 334-8815 for an application packet. The deadline for completed applications is February 24, 2023 and they must be submitted to the United Way office.

Agencies will be informed of their application status once the local Board has met to review received applications in mid-March 2023.

– From Elizabeth Monaco, United Way of Mid Rural New York