Staunton awarded emergency food, shelter grant

United Way of Greater Augusta received notification that Staunton was awarded $9,537, to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the Greater Augusta region.

The selection for Staunton to receive $9,537 was made by a National Board that is chaired by the U.S Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency and consists of representatives from American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A; the Jewish Federation of North America, the Salvation Army; and United Way Worldwide. The Local Board was charged to distribute funds appropriated by Congress to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the region.

A Local Board is made up of religious leaders, civic leaders, community leaders and LRO (local recipient organization). The awards The Local Board is responsible for recommending these agencies who received the funds and also any additional fund that may be made available under this phase of the program.

The United Way of Greater Augusta is calling for local organizations that serve our citizens in the area of Emergency Food and Shelter to apply for funds. The application is on the United Way website: www.unitedwayga.org.

To be eligible to receive a grant from the National Board, local agencies must have meet these criteria’s: 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) be eligible to receive federal funds, 3) have an accounting system, 4) practice nondiscrimination, 5) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and 6) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board.

Organizations that have received funding in the past are: Salvation Army, Valley Mission, Verona Food Pantry and Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.

For any additional information contact Paul Vaughan, Community Investment and Relations Manager for the United Way of Greater Augusta at 540-885-1229 and by e-mail at [email protected].