Federal grant bolsters area programs

The Tri-parishes received $104,000 for 2009 in federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program grants in December, though local food banks in the area have not yet been feeling the effects of the national recession.

The program, run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, provides funds to parishes and counties to support food banks, homeless shelters and soup kitchens nationwide. Money is allocated based on population, poverty and unemployment levels.

Terrebonne Parish received $43,000, Lafourche Parish $36,440 and St. Mary $24,479.

Voluntary local boards made up of representatives in each parish from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities USA, United Way of America, parish government, the Salvation Army and homeless shelters, among others, distribute the funds.

Chris Prestenback, an American Red Cross Bayou Region volunteer who chairs the Terrebonne Parish Emergency Food and Shelter local board, said the board is holding a meeting this week to decide how to distribute the money. The board first has to advertise the availability of the funds.

In the past, most of the groups receiving the program’s funds have had representatives on the board-Catholic Social Services, the Bunk House Inn in Houma, the Salvation Army, Terrebonne Parish government and food banks, Prestenback said.

“They have to come to us anyway,” he said.

“The government usually doesn’t have money this quick,” he added. “It’s usually made available in May or June.”

Money from the program can pay for food, lodging in a shelter, minimal repairs to facilities, supplies and equipment and transportation costs associated with the provision of food and shelter.

Some of the program’s funds are sent to state committees for distribution to localities.

Once the agencies receiving grants from the program have been chosen by local boards, the agencies are paid directly by the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board.

The Louisiana Food Bank Association also receives $5 million a year in state money to fund its operations.

Demand for food items from Tri-parish area food banks has remained more or less steady, at least through the beginning of the new year, according to area food bank representatives.

“We’ve been doing OK with food item donations,” said Kay Raymond with St. Mary Outreach, which supplies food items, clothes, household items, and assistance paying utilities, among other services, to qualifying individuals. “It hasn’t gotten less, but I’m waiting for it to decrease. (Donations) have been down from the year before. Next month could be a different story.”

St. Mary Parish’s Outreach has seen a small increase in demand for its services in recent months, Raymond said.

Whiley Landry loads a container with donated food items while Percy Rhodes (background) checks them off at the Good Samaritan Food Bank in Houma. Landry has been a volunteer for 15 years, Rhodes for eight. * Photo by KEYON K. JEFF