Polk gets emergency food from FEMA under Phase Cares

Polk County has been selected to receive $12,396 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county under Phase 38.

According to Cheryl Shelkop, local board chair, Polk County has been awarded these federal funds made available through the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.

The selection was made by a National Board that is chaired by the U.S. Department of, Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from American Red

Cross, Catholic Charities USA, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, The Jewish Federations of North America, The Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide.

The local board has been 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 will determine how the funds awarded to Polk County agencies will be distributed among the Emergency Food and Shelter Programs run by local service agencies in Polk County.

Shelkop noted that the local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds and any additional funds made available under this phase of the program.

Under the terms of the grant from the National Board, local agencies chosen to receive funds must:

♦ Be private voluntary nonprofits or units of government

♦ Be eligible to receive federal funds

♦ Have an accounting system

♦ Practice non-discrimination

The local board also requires that local agencies receiving funds must:

♦ Be in good standing with the national and local board regarding documentation requirements if funds were received in prior phases

♦ Utilize the local emergency assistance database as approved by the local board

♦ Be utilized to serve residents in Polk County

♦ Be currently operating programs which provide food , shelter or emergency programs providing rent/ mortgage or utility assistance (no new start-ups will be funded)

Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for emergency food and funds must apply in writing to the local board chair. Written requests must include:

♦ Brief history of the voluntary agency seeking funding

♦ Information regarding the requesting agencies nonprofit or government status and names of their voluntary board (if applicable)

♦ Provide validation of eligibility to receive federal funds

♦ Provide validation of the agency’s accounting system

♦ Provide a statement regarding the requesting agency’s non-discrimination practices

♦ Provide statistics regarding emergency services provided during the last fiscal year of the agency’s operations

♦ Include the amount requested from the local board, and

♦ Certify the agency’s willingness to adhere to all Phase Cares funding requirements as issued by the National Board under the Emergency Food and Shelter Program Phase Cares requirements.

For agency requests for funding, please contact Cheryl Shelkop by email at info@ rhirc.org. All contact must be made prior to Jan. 22.