Leflore County has been awarded federal funds under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.
The area organization will receive $39,670 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county, said Elizabeth "Pann" Powers, a member of the Leflore County board.
The total is about $15,000 more than the county received last year, said Powers.
"The allocation is based on unemployment in the area and the amount of funds appropriated to the national office. They got an increase, so we got an increase," she said. "And boy can we use it," said Powers. The county organization has had an increase in requests for both food, rent and mortgage payment assistance.
The Leflore County organization has distributed Emergency Food and Shelter funds in cooperation with the Community Food Pantry and the Salvation Army, Powers said.
These agencies were responsible for providing 115,418 meals and utility assistance to 92 families and rent and mortgage assistance to 20 families in Leflore County, Powers said.
Families receiving rent assistance must have received a final eviction notice, Powers said. The county organization can then come in and provide assistance for one month on an emergency basis.
Powers said the county board also goes to the landlord and gets assurance that the family can remain in the home at least 30 more days.
The Food Pantry also assists families on an emergency basis, Powers said. "This is for people who have lost jobs, had burnouts, etc."
The only exception is for those over 65 who receive the minimum amount of food stamps each month. "During the winter months when their utility bills are so high, we will assist the elderly participants more than once," Powers said.
The selection for assistance to Leflore County was made by a national board that 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 the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and United Way of America, which provides administrative staff and functions as fiscal agent.
The board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.
A local board, made up of representatives from civic, service and religious organizations in Leflore County determines how the funds will 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 these funds and any additional funds available under this phase of the program.
Under the terms of the grant from the national board, local organizations have chosen to receive funds must be: private, voluntary, nonprofits or units of government; 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.
Any public or private voluntary organizations interested in the Emergency Food and Shelter Program can contact Powers at 453-6057 or by fax at 453-1631. The Leflore County board will meet at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 20 in the fellowship hall of St. John's United Methodist Church, 1000 Grand Blvd.
