County awarded $37,862 for emergency programs
PRESQUE ISLE — Aroostook County has been chosen to receive $37,862 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs. The selection was made by a national board that is chaired by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.
On the board were 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 United Way officials, emergency management and local volunteers will determine how the funds awarded to Aroostook County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies in the area. The board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these and any additional money made available under this phase of the program.
Aroostook County has distributed emergency food and shelter funds previously to Catholic Charities of Maine, Hope & Justice Project, Homeless Services of Aroostook, Helping Hands for Children and Families, Caribou Bread of Life Soup Kitchen, Salvation Army of Houlton, Aroostook Area Agency on Aging, Meals on Wheels, Caribou Ecumenical Food Pantry, St. John Vianney Parish, The Lord’s Pantry, and Greater Fort Kent Ecumenical Food Pantry. These agencies were responsible for providing thousands of meals and hundreds of nights of lodging in the last year.
A meeting was held July 28 for presentations and requests for funding from those eligible to participate.
