| Calhoun To Receive Emergency Food and Shelter Funding |
 |
 |
 |
|
Congressman Travis Childers (D-MS) announced Thursday that $254,322 has been awarded to Mississippi’s First Congressional District by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). Federal funds totaling $100 million were made available to the EFSP, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to bring immediate relief to communities to address unemployment, poverty and other needs in light of the economic climate faced by our country. “In today’s tough times, more and more workers are struggling from unemployment, plant closures, and reduced hours, making it increasingly difficult to meet mortgage payments, pay utility bills, and put food on the table,” said Congressman Childers. “These Recovery funds will help provide important relief to the hard working North Mississippi families that need it the most.” Below is a list of funds being distributed to the First District: Calhoun County $6,234 Chickasaw County $9,194 Choctaw County $3,200 Grenada County $8,193 Itawamba County $9,694 Lafayette County $12,665 Lee County $30,553 Pontotoc County $11,894 Webster County $3,732 Yalobusha County $5,525 Additional jurisdictions in Mississippi may be selected at a later date by the EFSP State Set-Aside Committee, which has received $82,468 from the Recovery Act. Today’s Recovery Act funds come in addition to FEMA’s $200 million annual FY 09 allocation announced in December. EFSP uses measures of unemployment and poverty to allocate the funds it receives from FEMA to city and county jurisdictions around the country. To serve areas in need that do not qualify based on this formula, the National Board established the State Set-Aside Program in 1987 to award additional funds to each state based on a number of extenuating variables, including recent spikes in unemployment and isolated pockets of homelessness or poverty, among others. EFSP funds can be used for a broad range of services, including mass shelter, mass feeding, food distribution through food pantries and food banks, one-month assistance with rent, mortgage and utility payments to prevent evictions, and transition assistance from shelters to stable living conditions. ESFP’s objectives are to allocate funds to the neediest areas; to ensure fast response; to foster public-private sector partnerships; to ensure local decision-making; and to maintain minimal but accountable reporting. For more information on the First District’s and Mississippi’s share of Recovery Act funds, visit my Recovery Tracker at www.childers.house.gov. |