The Local Board, made up of representatives from the American Red Cross, local government, The Salvation Army, United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, and others, will determine how the funds awarded to Cannon County are distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in the area. 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 1) be private voluntary non-profits or units of government, 2) have an accounting system, 3) practice nondiscrimination, 4) must not charge a fee for service 5) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, may not require religious/counseling services, and 6) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.
The EFSP was authorized under the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (P.L. 100-77 signed into law on July 24, 1987, since renamed the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and subsequently reauthorized under P.L. 100-628, signed into law on November 7, 1988). Since 1983, in its 35-year history, the EFSP will have distributed over $5.03 billion to over 14,000 human service agencies in more than 2,500 communities across the country through this collaborative effort between the private and public sectors.
Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funding should contact Dan Caldwell at the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties at 615-893-7303 or Dan.Caldwell@yourlocaluw.org for an application. The deadline to submit an application is 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 22nd.