Van Hollen Announces $409,969 in Homeless Aid Awards for Prince George's County
Washington,
Dec 22, 2005 -
Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) today announced that Prince George’s County will receive federal funds totaling $409,969 to help feed and shelter the county’s hungry and homeless. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) will distribute the funding to the National Board of the Emergency Food and Shelter (EFS) Program to support social service agencies in the country. EFS grant funds are used to supplement food, shelter, rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs for people with non-disaster related emergencies.
“I am pleased that the Federal government will help our communities feed the hungry, assist the poor and shelter the homeless in the coming year,” said Van Hollen.
The EFS Program 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 USA; The Salvation Army; United Jewish Communities; and United Way of America.
The National Board qualifies jurisdictions for annual EFS funding awards based on criteria involving current population, unemployment and poverty levels. Grants are awarded to non-profit community and government organizations that are chosen by local boards in the qualifying jurisdictions. In addition to direct funding awards, 8% percent of this year’s total EFS appropriation has been set aside by the National Board for state grants to aid the needy in non-qualifying jurisdictions. EFS funds were first authorized by Congress in 1983 and are currently appropriated annually under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Congressman Chris Van Hollen
