Barry county has been awarded federal funds made available through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter national board program. Barry County has been chosen to receive $28,764.00 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in the county under Phase 38 of the program.

Congress has appropriated $125,000,000 to supplement and expand emergency food and shelter programs. The National EFSP/FEMA Board has also included a reallocation of $15 million in the Phase 38 awards. The total available for allocation in Phase 38 is $140 million. Barry County’s award is based upon our jurisdiction’s total number of unemployed as compared to the total number of unemployed in all qualifying jurisdictions.

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 American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA; the Jewish Federations of North America, the Salvation Army; and, United Way Worldwide.

A local board made up of the Salvation Army, Barry County Commissioners, Hastings area Ministerial Association, Continuum of Care, Commission on Aging and Barry County United Way will determine how the funds awarded to Barry County are to be 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 nonprofits 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, have a voluntary board. Qualifying agencies are urged to apply.

Barry County has previously distributed emergency food and shelter funds to Manna’s Market, Barry County United Way, and the South Michigan Food Bank.

Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for emergency food and shelter program funds can find the application on our website at www.bcunitedway.org or you can contact Morgan Johnson at the Barry County United Way at morgan@bcunitedway.org or 269-945-4010. Please e-mail to Morgan Johnson, mail or fax the request to: Barry County United Way: Attention: FEMA/EFSP, 231 South Broadway, Hastings, MI 49058 fax number: (269) 945-4536. For an application. The deadline for applications to be received is Friday, January 22, 2021 by 5pm.