April 2022
For Immediate Release:
The Local Board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) was notified in late January 2022 that it received $69,469 to distribute for Phase 39 funding, and an additional $214,711 through the American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA federal grant. The funding opportunity was announced via public notice in the media inviting any 501(c)(3) agencies to apply for part of this funding.
The United Way of West Ellis County serves as the convener of the Local Board, which is comprised of 11 volunteers dedicated to reviewing applications and recommending funding allocations to eligible organizations, as specified under the National Board guidelines.
Local Board members are representatives of constituencies and organizations as required by the National EFSP program, including Catholic Social Services, County Government, Greater Ennis United Way, the United Way of West Ellis County, The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross, as well as faith-based organizations and other community coalitions.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program Local Board met on March 7 to review all submitted applications. A total of ten awards were approved providing $284,180 in federal funding to Ellis County nonprofit programs that will serve local residents in the coming year. Each project met criteria under one of four grant categories: Rent/Mortgage Assistance, Utility Assistance, Food Pantries, and Administration. Below are the nonprofit recipients:
Helping Hands of Ennis: $20,000 Phase 39 and $20,000 ARPA
Manna House - $16,000 Phase 39 and $55,000 ARPA
Salvation Army - $16,039 Phase 39 and $58,000 ARPA
Waxahachie Care - $16,040 Phase 39 and $77,416 ARPA
United Way West Ellis County - $1,390 Phase 39 and $4,295 ARPA
“The last couple of years has presented very challenging economic times and as a result, there has been a significant increase in need for services to help those in our community. The EFSP and ARPA funds are an extremely valuable and much appreciated resource to these nonprofits as they work to further their impact and continue to meet the needs of Ellis County,” said Jamie McNulty, Executive Director of United Way of West Ellis County.
Created in 1983, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) funds are made available through the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program, and led by United Way Worldwide.
Funds from EFSP are distributed to each county in the United States based on its current population size, unemployment rate, and poverty rate. The United Way of West Ellis County facilitates a local board of community volunteers who decide how the funds from EFSP are distributed within the Ellis County jurisdiction.
The funding is used to supplement and expand the work of local social service agencies, both nonprofit and governmental, in an effort to help people with economic emergencies. The EFSP funding is open to all organizations helping to address food insecurity, individuals experiencing homelessness, and expand rent/mortgage and utility assistance efforts.
For more information visit United Way of West Ellis County’s website at www.uwwec.org/efsp.