Federal grant funding opens to applicants in Payne County

Payne County has been chosen to receive $20,948 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county. The source of funding is a federal appropriation from Congress to the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.

The National Board selects jurisdictions (cities or counties) for funding. The Federal Department responsible for this program is the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the FEMA and consists of representatives from The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, United Jewish Communities, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of the Churches in Christ USA, and United Way.

A Local Board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs. The local board includes Paulette Graham and Risa Robinson, The Salvation Army; Jana Nelson, Mission of Hope; Dana Mattox, City of Stillwater; Rachael Condley, Our Daily Bread; Ruth Cavins, United Way of Payne County; Brandi White, Wings of Hope; and Janet Fultz, Payne County Youth Services.

The group will determine how the funds awarded to Payne County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in the area. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds made available through this program.

Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must; 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) have an accounting system, 3) practice nondiscrimination, 4) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, 5) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board, 6) must be eligible to receive federal funds, and 7) must have a DUNS numbers. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.

Within Payne County, the EFSP has distributed $784,522 in Emergency Food and Shelter funds since 1984. Last year the county received $20,522. The funds were distributed to The Salvation Army for utility assistance, and to Payne County Youth Services, Mission of Hope, and Wings of Hope for mass shelter.

Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must contact Ruth Cavins, local board chair, at United Way of Payne County, 405-377-2161, for information on submitting a Letter of Request. The Letter of Request must be submitted by Feb. 23. Letter of Requests will be reviewed at a public meeting on Feb. 28.