Emergency food and shelter funding grant applications being accepted by local United Way

ADRIAN — United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties is accepting applications for possible funding through the national board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program and the American Recovery Program Act.

While there is no guarantee of funding, the local Emergency Food and Shelter Program board will begin the application process to determine how funds that may be awarded to Lenawee County are to be distributed among the emergency food and shelter programs in the area, a news release from the United Way said. The local board is charged with distributing funds appropriated by Congress to assist in emergencies including food and shelter programs in high-need areas around the country.

“Organizations are being asked to act quickly in order to meet the deadline to apply for these funds,” Laura Schultz-Pipis, chair of the local emergency food and shelter board, said in the release.

Qualifying organizations may apply by calling Schultz-Pipis at the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties at 517-264-6821 or by emailing lpipis@unitedwayMLC.org to request a simple application. Grant requests must be completed and returned to the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties by email to lpipis@unitedwayMLC.org or regular mail to 136 E. Maumee St., Suite 15, Adrian, MI 49221. Applications must be received no later than close of business on Sept. 14, 2022.

The local EFSP board will meet at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 21 at the United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties, 136 E. Maumee St., Suite 15, Adrian, to make funding decisions. Any organization or people interested in the operations of the board are welcome to attend and observe but are asked to notify Pipis if interested in observing. Organizations requesting funding must have a representative at this meeting.

Local agencies who submit applications and are chosen to receive funds must:

• Be nonprofit.
• Have an accounting system.
• Practice nondiscrimination.
• Have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food or shelter programs.
• If they are a private, volunteer organization, they must have a volunteer board.
• Provide a list of active board membership.
• Provide proof of regularly attended board meetings as required by the organization's bylaws.
• Provide copies of most their recent certified audit upon request of the local board.

A local board, consisting of several members of the community, governs the Lenawee County jurisdiction. Along with those members the law requires, local boards include members from the organizations represented on the national board. In Lenawee County those organizations include local government officials, United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties, Department on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services and other nonprofit organizations.