2008 Woodie Awards
More than $26,000 for food, shelter
Local organizations use funds to provide for homeless
Matt Hopf/City Editor
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: News
Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, announced nearly $350,000 would be provided to 10 counties in the 15th Congressional District for emergency food and shelter assistance.
The money, which comes from the Emergency Food and Shelter Board Program, will be used to help programs in the community. The funds are part of $153 million awarded to communities across the country, which was announced Feb. 26.
"These funds can make or break a lot of families who are not in a position to help themselves through no fault of their own," Johnson said in a released statement.
Coles County is receiving $26,186 of the funds this year.
The money will be distributed to local organizations.
Mattoon-Area PADS and the Charleston Civic Association are two organizations that have received funds in the past, said Kelly Considine, the EFS Administrator for Coles County Regional Planning.
PADS provides shelter and meals to the area's homeless.
The Charleston Civic Association offers a variety of assistance, offering vouchers for grocery store items and rent assistance.
Considine said the organization also helps children get shoes.
The funds are only allowed for certain expenses.
"It's basically food, shelter, clothing and rental assistance," Considine said.
While organizations cannot operate off the award money alone, the funds are greatly needed.
Some funded organizations do not have a large budget, and the funds help them because they do not always have a large funding source.
Both large and small organizations receive funds.
The funding Coles County has received in recent years has been less then it has received in previous years.
Since 2003, when $33,231 was awarded, the funds have dropped about $7,000.
"The organizations have to find other resources," Considine said.
While federal funding has gone down, the needs are higher, she added.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program started in 1983 and has distributed more than $3.1 billion. The program is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Emergency Food and Shelter funds in County
2008- $26,186
2007- $26,662
2006- $27,430
2005- $27,970
2004- $27,330
2003- $33,231
2002- $33,200
2001- $24,607
2000- $18,025
1999-$17,200
Matt Hopf can be reached at 581-7945 or mthopf@eiu.edu.
The money, which comes from the Emergency Food and Shelter Board Program, will be used to help programs in the community. The funds are part of $153 million awarded to communities across the country, which was announced Feb. 26.
"These funds can make or break a lot of families who are not in a position to help themselves through no fault of their own," Johnson said in a released statement.
Coles County is receiving $26,186 of the funds this year.
The money will be distributed to local organizations.
Mattoon-Area PADS and the Charleston Civic Association are two organizations that have received funds in the past, said Kelly Considine, the EFS Administrator for Coles County Regional Planning.
PADS provides shelter and meals to the area's homeless.
The Charleston Civic Association offers a variety of assistance, offering vouchers for grocery store items and rent assistance.
Considine said the organization also helps children get shoes.
The funds are only allowed for certain expenses.
"It's basically food, shelter, clothing and rental assistance," Considine said.
While organizations cannot operate off the award money alone, the funds are greatly needed.
Some funded organizations do not have a large budget, and the funds help them because they do not always have a large funding source.
Both large and small organizations receive funds.
The funding Coles County has received in recent years has been less then it has received in previous years.
Since 2003, when $33,231 was awarded, the funds have dropped about $7,000.
"The organizations have to find other resources," Considine said.
While federal funding has gone down, the needs are higher, she added.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program started in 1983 and has distributed more than $3.1 billion. The program is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Emergency Food and Shelter funds in County
2008- $26,186
2007- $26,662
2006- $27,430
2005- $27,970
2004- $27,330
2003- $33,231
2002- $33,200
2001- $24,607
2000- $18,025
1999-$17,200
Matt Hopf can be reached at 581-7945 or mthopf@eiu.edu.
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