WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced $120 million in federal funding to assist organizations dedicated to feeding, sheltering and providing critical resources to our nation’s hungry and homeless.

Funding was made available by Congress for the national board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for fiscal year 2014 to support social service agencies in cities and counties across the country.

“The Emergency Food and Shelter Program supports communities across the nation and some of their most vulnerable residents,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said.  “The program enables our nonprofit partners to ensure that the most basic needs of these citizens are met.”

The national board governs the EFSP. It is chaired by DHS/FEMA and has representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, the Jewish Federations of North America, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the Salvation Army and United Way Worldwide. The national board has selected United Way Worldwide to serve as secretariat and fiscal agent to the national board.

EFSP funding is allocated to qualifying jurisdictions based on thresholds involving population, unemployment and poverty levels both nationally and locally. Grants are then awarded to nonprofit community and government organizations that are chosen by local boards in the qualifying jurisdictions. This year’s award to the National Board brings the total aid disbursed in the EFSP’s 32-year history to more than $4.0 billion.

A state-by-state list of the eligible jurisdictions and award amounts is available at www.efsp.unitedway.org.

Congress placed the EFSP under FEMA in 1983 to underscore the emergency nature of the funding in getting assistance to those most vulnerable with food and shelter needs.