County awarded federal funds to assist food, shelter programs

    PRESQUE ISLE – Aroostook County has been chosen to receive $27,540 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county. These funds have been made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).     The selection 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 the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, USA, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the Salvation Army, United Jewish Communities, and United Way of America. 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 country.
    A local board made up of United Way of Aroostook and other county organization representatives and leaders will determine how the funds awarded to Aroostook County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service organizations in the county. The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds made available through the ARRA.
    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) 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. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.
    Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for ARRA Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds must contact Claudia Stevens, executive director of United Way of Aroostook, 480 Main St., Presque Isle, Maine 04769, call 764-5197 or e-mail acunited@mfx.net for an application. The deadline for applications to be received is June 5, 2009.