Representing North Carolina’s Ninth District                                                                        

MYRICK ANNOUNCES HOMELESS AID AWARD FOR GASTON, MECKLENBURG, AND UNION COUNTIES IN 2005

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick (NC-9) announced today that federal funds totaling $139,565 has been awarded to Gaston County, $426,902 has been awarded to Mecklenburg County, and $68,719 has been awarded to Union County to help feed and shelter the area’s hungry and homeless people in 2005.

The Emergency Food and Shelters (EFS) Program, entering its twenty-second year, is administered by a national board of volunteer agencies chaired by FEMA. The national board qualifies jurisdictions for annual EFS funding awards based on criteria involving current population, unemployment and poverty levels. Grants are awarded to non-profit community and government organizations that are chosen by local boards in the qualifying jurisdictions.

Funded agencies, known as “Local Recipient Organizations” (LROs), use EFS supplemental funds for mass shelter, mass feeding, food distribution through food pantries and food banks, one-month utility payments to prevent service cut-off, and one-month rent/mortgage assistance to prevent evictions or assist people leaving shelters to establish stable living conditions.

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