Political Insider: UJC Fights for Increases to Emergency Food and Shelter Program
Posted By James BesserPolitical Insider: UJC Fights for Boost to Emergency Food and Shelter Program
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Twenty five years ago, the federal government began a unique partnership with charitable groups to provide emergency food and housing for the nation's neediest. That program - created in large measure because of the efforts of Mark Talisman, the former Washington director for the Council of Jewish Federations - today faces mounting pressures as the economy sours and more Americans sink into poverty.
So it was fitting that Talisman's successor - now under the banner of the United Jewish Communities (UJC) - is pressing hard to avert cuts to theEmergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) proposed by the Bush administration.
"With the current economic situation of the country, organizations are not only reaffirming their support for the program but looking for additional funding," said UJC's William Daroff.
He said that while there are no "solid numbers" pointing to growing demand for emergency food and shelter services, "food pantries clearly have less food on the shelves than they've had in the past; they are seeing more people come through the doors for utility assistance and rent and mortgage assistance."
The program represents a partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and a group of prominent charities, including Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, the National Council of Churches, the Red Cross, the United Way -- and UJC.
While money comes from the federal budget, decisions about where the money actually goes are made locally. And every local board has a UJC or other Jewish presence.
Currently UJC is leading an effort to secure an additional $50 million to be included in the next homeland security appropriations bill, which counters a cut to the program included in President Bush's budget proposal.
But with Congress once again gridlocked when it comes to spending bills, it is far from clear whether the proposed increase will see the light of day.
This week UJC and the other organizations that work with the program were on Capitol Hill, marking EFSP's 25th year - and urging Congress to increase, not cut, funding for a program that is more critical than ever as the economic slowdown continues.