Franklin County is set to receive federal funds through the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

The county was selected to supplement emergency food and shelter programs, according to a press release from Joe Selenski, the national program’s local board chair. Selenski said there may be an availability of funds through phase 39 of the program, in addition to a supplemental phase of funding.

Specific amounts available to local agencies have not yet been announced, but past county-wide awards have generally been in the range of $18,000 to $26,000, according Selenski.

The program assists local nonprofits and social service organizations to provide shelter, food and supporting services to individuals and families who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing hunger or homelessness.

“It can go towards ending homelessness or preventing homelessness, to help people out,” Selenski said.

Selenski said the funding awards are determined by the program’s national board, chaired by DHS and FEMA, with representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, National Council of the Churches of Christ, the Jewish Federation of North America, the Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide.

The national board is the sole recipient of program grant funds from FEMA and establishes the program’s policies, procedures and guidelines, according to FEMA’s website.

Moving forward, Selenski said a local board will determine how the awarded funds will be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in the community.

According to Selenski, the local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds and any additional funds made available through 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 nondiscrimination, have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and or run a shelter program. If a recipient is a private voluntary organization, it needs to have a volunteer board.

Selenski said the deadline for submitting applications to the program’s local board is Jan. 24.

Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must contact Selenski, via text or by calling 518-319-0078, or by emailing lifeway@localnet.com for an application.

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program was established in March 1983 and over the course of its 38-year history, the program has distributed $5.03 billion to over 14,000 agencies in more than 2,500 communities across the country, according to United Way Worldwide’s website.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 appropriated $510 million to the program, according to FEMA’s website.

Implementation of the program is not contingent on a presidential major disaster declaration, as the funds are for people with non-disaster related emergencies and can be used for a broad range of services, according to a FEMA fact sheet on the program.

The agency’s fact sheet states local private or public organizations that receive program funds may use the money to provide a variety of services, including food in the form of served meals or groceries, one month rent or mortgage assistance to prevent eviction or foreclosure, utility assistance and transportation costs associated with food or shelter.