Emergency Food and Shelter Program

Each year the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designates funding to local communities for non-disaster related food and shelter through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). 

A National Board, chaired by FEMA, is responsible for overall policy development and implementation for EFSP. At both a national and local level, United Way's role is to staff the distribution of these funds in collaboration with the primary service providers: American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, National Council of Churches, United Jewish Communities, Salvation Army, and local governments.

In 2010, approximately $200 million appropriated by Congress was distributed nationwide to help expand the capacity of food and shelter programs. A formula involving population, poverty, and unemployment is applied to determine the eligibility of local jurisdictions for EFSP funding.

United Way Fox Cities works with two local EFSP Boards to distribute funding to three counties, the EFSP Board for Winnebago County and the EFSP Board for Calumet and Outagamie Counties. For its administrative services, UWFC receives 2% of the federal funds awarded to the three counties.

In 2010 UWFC assisted in the distribution of $242,166 throughout the three counties with Winnebago County receiving $101,130, Outagamie County receiving $113,829, and Calumet County receiving $27,207.