14 Organizations Awarded $110,000 Collectively in EFSP Funds

The United Way of Westchester and Putnam announces that an additional $110,000 in grants have been distributed among 14 local, nonprofit organizations responding to unparalleled food and housing needs driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The economic effects of the COVID-19 public health crisis have left many of our neighbors with food and housing insecurities,” said United Way President and CEO Tom Gabriel. “United Way is honored to be able to distribute $110,000 more of funding into the Westchester community. These funds are in addition to the $1 million from the Emergency Food and Shelter funding distributed earlier this year to help our nonprofit partners address the basic human needs of families in our community.’’

The funds were made available through the New York State Board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) Boards to Westchester county. This program provides federal funding, which helps extend currently available services for the hungry or homeless or at risk of eviction. The United Way of Westchester and Putnam is the administrative agent of the Local EFSP Boards in Westchester and Putnam counties.

“Lifting Up Westchester is so grateful to granters like the United Way who are providing emergency funding support during this time of crisis. The ESFP grant will provide rent assistance to individuals who are part of our Supportive Housing Program and who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic,” said Anahaita Kotval, CEO of Lifting Up Westchester. “Our clients, who are already so vulnerable, need us now more than ever.”

This is the third round of grants awarded to nonprofits through the United Way of Westchester and Putnam this year. First, in May, 31 nonprofit organizations were collectively awarded $120,000 in funding thanks to the United Way’s John M. Bendheim Community Disaster Response Fund and Bonwit Fund, as well as The PepsiCo Foundation. Then in June, the United Way distributed $1 million in Emergency Food and Shelter funding.

Here is a list of organizations that received funding in the latest round.Caring for the Hungry & Homeless of PeekskillCatholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese of New YorkFeeding WestchesterFriends of KarenGullotta HouseHOPE Community Services, Inc.Hudson Valley Community Services, Inc.Julia Dyckman Andrus Memorial, Inc.Lifting Up WestchesterOssining Micro FundThe Bridge Fund of New York, IncThomas H. Slater Center, Inc.Westchester Community Opportunity Program IncWestchester Residential Opportunities