SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra (UWNNS) announced its distribution of $429,309 in funding from the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP). UWNNS was selected to distribute the funds by a national board that is chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from the Salvation Army, America Red Cross, Council of Jewish Federations, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA and United Way of America.
The EFSP was created in 1983 to supplement the work of local social service organizations within the United States, both private and governmental, to help people in need of emergency assistance. This collaborative effort between the private and public sectors has provided more than $3.7 billion in Federal funds during its 28-year history. The amount of funding the EFSP administers to communities throughout the nation is dependent on multiple factors including the local unemployment rate.
“This supplement to the region is critical during these tough economic times,” said Karen Barsell, chief executive officer and president of UWNNS. “These funds will help many individuals that are in need of basic assistance.”
Eight local boards within the UWNNS service region were formed to determine how to distribute the funds for each jurisdiction. Each board was comprised of volunteers from local organizations representative of the national board as well as private citizens. Together, local boards determined how to best distribute the monies to applicant agencies serving homeless individuals and families, those at-risk of being homeless, and families who are in need of emergency food and shelter as well as one-time rental and utility assistance.
The organizations that were awarded funding are as follows: Churchill County Social Services, $2,000; Elko Committee to Aid Domestic Violence, $5,000; Elko – Friends in Service Helping, $1,500; Food Bank of Northern Nevada, $95,893; Lincoln County, $2,463; Carson Advocates to End Domestic Violence, $20,500; FISH Carson City, $10,465; Douglas County Social Services, $10,726; Carson Valley Food Closet, $10,000; Family Support Council of Douglas County, $10,000; Our Lady of Tahoe Church, $1,500; Lyon County Human Services, $15,000; Mineral County Consolidated Agencies of Human Services, $3,476; Pershing County, $2,939; Storey County Community Chest, $3,250; Bristlecone, $4,000; Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada, $59,905; The Children’s Cabinet, Inc., $20,000; Community Assistance Center, $59,905; Committee to Aid Abused Women, $9,000; Community Services Agency, $25,000; Family Promise of Reno/Sparks, $15,001; Nevada Urban Indians, $2,500; Project MANA,$8,000; Safe Embrace, $4,000; Step 1, $8,000; Tahoe SAFE Alliance, $5,000; Washoe County School District Family Resource Centers, $6,000.
