Emergency food, shelter program $$$ available

Published 11:45 pm Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Special to
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — For the 32nd year, St. John the Baptist Parish is preparing to distribute grant awarded federal funds made available through the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.

The funds are used to supplement existing emergency food and shelter programs in the parish, Greg Maurin, St. John United Way board member and chairman of the Local Emergency Food and Shelter Board, announced this week.

St. John United Way serves as fiscal monitor and local contact for the program.

The program is run by a national board of affiliates of national voluntary organizations and chaired by FEMA. The Local EFSP Board is charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.

The Local EFSP Board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds and any additional funds made available under this phase of the program.

Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to participate to receive funds must:

• Be private, voluntary, non-profit or units of government.

• Be eligible to receive federal funds.

• Have an accounting system.

• Practice nondiscrimination.

• Have demonstrated the capacity to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs.

• If private voluntary organization, have a voluntary board.

Qualified agencies are urged to apply.

The local board, made up from representatives of local affiliates of the above agencies, other local agencies and the Parish President’s Office, will determine how the funds awarded to St. John Parish are distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service organizations.

St. John Parish has distributed funds previously to local agencies.

Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must contact John Olynick at St. John United Way at 985-651-9118 by Feb. 4.

The deadline for the completed application to be submitted is noon Feb. 11.