THE CNMI has been awarded federal funds made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program.
The CNMI has been chosen to receive $341,055 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs throughout the Commonwealth. 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 CNMI board, made up of local community stakeholders, will determine how the funds awarded to the Commonwealth are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs run by local service agencies.
The local board is responsible for recommending agencies to receive these funds (Phase 39) and any additional funds (ARPA-R) allocated under this 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.
The CNMI EFSP board has distributed emergency food and shelter funds recently to Karidat Social Services, Salvation Army, Empty Vessel Ministries, Team Koka (Tinian), The Ohala Foundation (Tinian) and Marianas Food Bank. These agencies were responsible for providing thousands of meals and hundreds of nights of lodging and utility assistance.
Public or private voluntary agencies interested in applying for Emergency Food and Shelter Program funds should contact local board chair John Hirsh at John.Hirsh@redcross.org or (670) 234-3459 for more information. The deadline for applications to be received is 5 p.m. on Monday March 28, 2022.
