Laurel Highlands Today

Eligible agencies are encouraged to apply by noon on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Eligible local agencies are encouraged to apply for funding from the Fayette County Emergency Food and Shelter Board. 

The board was recently awarded $79,716 as its annual allotment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. The funds are used to supplement emergency programs for low-income families. 

Board Chairman Roy Shipley, who also serves as the Fayette County Emergency Management Agency Director, said his board determines which local service agencies will share the funds each year. Past recipients include the Fayette County Community Action Agency, City Mission Living Stones and Salvation Army of Uniontown. 

“We want people to know that that funding is there and being used to support a variety of human service programs throughout the county,” Shipley said. “Eligible organizations can use that funding to address some of the needs that are still there from the pandemic, such as the Salvation Army’s soup kitchen.” 

This year, eligible organizations can apply for grants to use in administering a variety of local programs, including food pantries; rent, mortgage and utility assistance; emergency and mass shelter; and more. 

According to federal requirements, applicants must:

Be private, voluntary nonprofits or units of government; 

Be eligible to receive federal funds; 

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, have a voluntary board. 

Shipley said not many people know about the federal grant funding, because the board primarily exists as an administrator for the funding and resource network for organizations during disasters and other states of emergency. 

In addition to Shipley, current board membership includes the Fayette County Community Action Agency, Catholic Charities, the American Red Cross, City Mission Living Stones, United Way of Fayette County, Salvation Army of Uniontown, representatives from the local Jewish community, Fayette County Human Services and a person who formerly has or is currently experiencing homelessness. 

Qualified agencies are urged to apply by noon on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. 

Applicants can do so by submitting a written request to Roy Shipley, Jr., Board Chairman, ℅ Fayette County Community Action Agency, Inc., 108 N. Beeson Ave., Uniontown, PA 15401. 

To learn more about the Fayette County Emergency Food and Shelter Board, visit www.cacfayettecounty.org/emergency-food-and-shelter-board. 

To learn more about Fayette County, visit www.fayettecountypa.org.

This communication is part of the Fayette County PR Initiative, which is funded through the Fayette County Local Share Account (LSA) and Hotel Tax Grants in cooperation with the Fayette County Board of Commissioners, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette, The Redstone Foundation and other partners. This funding has been designated for the continued promotion and marketing of Fayette County, PA.

For more information, contact Rick Fike Public Relations Media Specialist, at 724-437-4571, rfike@fayettecountypa.info  or Kaylie Moore, Community Relations Coordinator, at 724-430-1200 Ext. 1611, kmoore@fayettepa.org.

Original source can be found here.