The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) is a competitive application process for federal funding administered by United Way of Greater New Haven (UWGNH).

The EFSP invests financial resources in the community through a mix of programs/projects that are directly focused on individuals and families in times of crisis or provide prevention services that help people avoid crisis. EFSP funding supplements and expands the work of local social service agencies, soup kitchen, meals on wheels, food pantry, emergency shelter, rent, mortgage foreclosure and utility assistance programs. Specifically, EFSP funds are used to provide served meals or emergency groceries, lodging in a mass shelters or hotel, and emergency rent and mortgage assistance, foreclosure prevention and utility assistance.

For fiscal year 2008-2009 UWGNH made possible the investment of $980,436 in New Haven County programs that serve individuals and families in the towns of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, Derby, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, Naugatuck, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Seymour, Southbury, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Wolcott, and Woodbridge. The 2008-2009 fiscal year Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) investments include:

Greater New Haven Emergency Food and Shelter Program Investments ($474,629 total)

Food Investments ($209,379)

AIDS Project New Haven -- $53,333

This grant expands home delivery of meals for individuals living with AIDS/HIV to New Haven County services to include individuals affected by hepatitis C, cancer, kidney failure, heart disease, Crohn’s disease and other chronic diseases. 

Believe In Me Empowerment Corporation, Inc. -- $6,750

This grant expands emergency food pantry services for Dixwell and Newhall community residents.  

Branford Food Council -- $9,550

This grant expands emergency food pantry services for Branford families and seniors providing groceries for home preparation.   

CADES, Inc. -- $7,500

This grant supplements a food voucher program and provides emergency food pantry services to individuals re-entering the community from CT Correctional facilities, challenged by mental illness and substance abuse.

Catholic Charities, Inc., Centro San Jose -- $8,333

This grant expands emergency food pantry services for Fair Haven reasidents.

Christian Community Action -- $6,500

With an increased number of individuals and families requiring emergency food assistance, this grant will help provide individuals and families of New Haven with nutritious groceries for home preparation.   

Church on the Rock --   $8,000                        

With an increased number of individuals and families requiring emergency food assistance, this grant will help provide approximately 300 New Haven families with free Angel Food Ministry Food Baskets.

Community Dining Room, Inc. -- $17,333

In order to meet the increased needs in East Haven, Foxon, Branford, North Branford, Guildford and Madison, this grant will expand the soup kitchen’s capacity to provide more meals for individuals and families. 

FISH of Greater New Haven -- $25,000

With an increased number of seniors, homebound individuals and families requiring emergency food assistance, this grant increases the program’s ability to provide home delivery of nutritious groceries to New Haven, West Haven, East Haven and Hamden residents.   

GNH Emergency Food Council -- $15,000

This grant increases the food purchasing power of eleven faith based and small nonprofits facilitating increased emergency food assistance for New Haven’s council of food pantries and soup kitchen providers.   

Hill Health Center -- $5,000

With an increased number of individuals and families requiring emergency food assistance, this grant will help provide low income families, individuals and seniors served by Hill Health Center in New Haven emergency groceries.   

Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services -- $2,000

This grant will provide cultural sensitive and nutritious emergency food assistance to immigrants and refugee families beginning a new life in America.

Jewish Family Service -- $8,000

This grant increases monthly supplemental food assistance to individuals and families from Hamden, Woodbridge, New Haven and Orange.   

Marrekech, Inc. -- $2,000

This grant increases monthly supplemental food assistance to individuals with disabilities from Hamden, Woodbridge, New Haven, West Haven and Orange.  

Salvation Army of New Haven -- $8,500

With an increased number of individuals and families requiring emergency food assistance, this grant will help provide low income families, individuals and seniors in New Haven emergency groceries.   

West Haven Emergency Assistance Taskforce -- $10,000

This grant increases monthly supplemental food assistance to individuals and families from West Haven and Allingtown.

Emergency Shelter Investments ($135,805)

Christian Community Action -- $9,500

This grant provides for transitional lodging for individuals and families in a hotel/motel when emergency shelters are at capacity or not suitable due to medical circumstances.

Columbus House -- $45,000

This grant increases the organization’s capacity to provide emergency shelter to New Haven’s single adult homeless population.

Combined Parishes Action Committee-Beth EL -- $10,000

This grant increases the organization’s capacity to provide emergency shelter to the Milford area homeless population.

Domestic Violence Services -- $15,000

This grant increases the organization’s capacity to provide emergency shelter to New Haven county residents affected by domestic violence.

Emergency Shelter Management Services -- $16,580

This grant increases the organization’s capacity to provide emergency shelter to single adult homeless males.

New Haven Home Recovery -- $10,000

This grant increases the organization’s capacity to provide emergency shelter to homeless women and children.

Youth Continuum -- $2,500

This grant supplements emergency shelter services to greater New Haven homeless teens and young adults.

Greater New Haven Housing and Utility Investments ($129,445 total)

Catholic Charities, Inc.-- $15,000

This grant will provide emergency rental assistance to individuals and families in Fair Haven and surrounding communtiies.

Community Mediation,Inc. -- $13,500

This grant expands a security deposit program to include first month’s rent assistance for homeless individuals and families in New Haven.

Harbor Health Service, Inc. -- $9,667

Two grants will support the expansion of  the emergency rent  and utility assistance programs  for homeless individuals and a utility assistance .

Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services -- $10,445  

This grant will provide emergency rental assistance to fifteen immigrants and refugee families beginning a new life in America.

Junta for Progressive Action, Inc. -- $15,000  

This grant will provide emergency utility assistance (including electric, heating and water) to New Haven residents.

Milford Human Resources Development Agency -- $4,000

This grant will provide emergency rental, eviction and foreclosure prevention assistance to Milford residents.

Milford Human Resources Development Agency -- $2,500

This grant will provide emergency utility assistance (including electric, heating and water) to Milford residents.

Salvation Army of New Haven -- $10,000

This grant will provide emergency utility assistance (including electric, heating and water) to New Haven residents.

South Central Behavioral Health Network, Inc. -- $43,805

This grant will provide transitional SRO rental assistance to homeless individuals.  

Town of Hamden Community Services -- $19,500

This grant will provide emergency rental, eviction and foreclosure prevention assistance to Town of Hamden residents.

Town of Hamden Community Services -- $8,500

This grant will provide emergency utility assistance (including electric, heating and water) to Town of Hamden residents.

West Haven Emergency Assistance Taskforce  -- $12,333

This grant will provide emergency rental, eviction and foreclosure prevention assistance to residents of the city of West Haven.

West Haven Emergency Assistance Taskforce -- $9,000

This grant will provide emergency utility assistance (including electric, heating and water) to residents of the city of West Haven.

 Greater New Haven EFSP Investments at a Glance

Emergency Food and Shelter Program Investments covering programs serving Meriden, Wallingford, Ansonia, Derby, Shelton, Waterbury and Naugatuck ($486,198 total)

American Red Cross of Ansonia                                      $3,600

American Red Cross of Wallingford/Meriden                 $6,500

Area Congregations Together, Inc.                                  $61,999

Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries                          $48,358

Master’s Manna, Inc                                                             $9,264

Meriden Wallingford Chrysalis                                           $22,400

Meriden Soup Kitchen, Inc.                                                 $16,000

Morris Foundation                                                                 $12,953

NOW Inc. Waterbury                                                            $45,915

Rushford/Midstate Behavioral Health                               $750

Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury                                     $28,187

Salvation Army of Ansonia                                                  $2,500

Salvation Army of Meriden                                                 $9,300

Salvation Army of Waterbury                                             $33,452

St. Vincent DePaul Society                                                 $140,885

Training, Education and Manpower                                  $16,009

The Birmingham Group, Inc.                                              $35,700

Wallingford Emergency Shelter                                          $7,425

Total New Haven County Emergency Food and Shelter Investments    $980,436