UWGCV ALLOCATES $72,000 FOR EMERGENCY FOOD & SHELTER PROGRAM

Eau Claire, WI – January 6, 2012- United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley is allocating $72,089 to supplement the monetary loss 15 local non-profits will encounter for the Bi-County Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP).  The amount EFSP receives from the government fluctuates from year to year. In 2010 the program received $92,422, but in 2011 the program was drastically reduced to $20,333; a loss of $72,089. The reduction in dollars is a direct result from a cut at the federal government level and allocation criteria.

Due to the short notice of budget cuts from the federal government, the basic needs focus of this group and the rising need of those services, the United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley Board of Directors approved a one-time distribution to this group to bridge the shortfall. The United Way dollars being distributed are realized cost savings from the consolidation of United Way of Greater Eau Claire and United Way of Chippewa County.

Included in this special allocation is an increase of $2300.000 to Feed My People Food Bank. This allocation is above what they normally receive and will support eight Chippewa County and one Eau Claire County food assistance programs. Emily Moore, Executive Director of Feed My People Food Bank, states, “The United Way board made a truly impactful decision when they chose to fund the shortfall in federal dollars to food and shelter programs in our area. Need for basic services continues to grow at a dramatic rate each year. These nonprofit agencies depend on each other being strong in order to provide an adequate safety net. Though as an individual program, Feed My People would have managed with the reduction in dollars; our community is stronger because of the collective impact of United Way’s allocation.”

The EFSP was created in 1983 to supplement and expand the work of local social services agencies, both nonprofit and governmental, in an effort to help people with economic emergencies, non-disaster related. EFSP funds are open to all organizations helping the hungry and homeless and must be used to supplement feeding, sheltering and rent/mortgage and utility assistance efforts only.