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 2010-2011 UWGNH made possible the investment of $438,240 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 2010-2011 fiscal year Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) investments include:

Greater New Haven Emergency Food and Shelter Program Investments ($212,150 total)

Food Investments ($76,000)

AIDS Project New Haven -- $18,000

This grant provides continued expansion of 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. 

CADES, Inc. -- $10,000

This grant supplements emergency food pantry services to individuals re-entering the community from CT Correctional facilities, individuals challenged by mental illness and substance abuse and working families struggling with food insecurity.

Christian Community Action -- $9,000

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.   

Community Dining Room, Inc. -- $10,000

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 -- $15,000

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.   

Jewish Family Service -- $10,000

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

Salvation Army of New Haven -- $4,000

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.   

Emergency Shelter Investments ($68,650)

Christian Community Action -- $7,000

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 -- $32,650

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 -- $15,000

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

New Haven Home Recovery -- $14,000

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

Housing and Utility Investments ($67,500 total)

City of Milford -- $3,000

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

City of Milford -- $3,000

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

Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund-- $7,000

This grant expands emergency rental asistance services to greater New Haven residents affected by foreclosures.

Liberty Community Services-- $25,000

This grant will expand the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program (HPRP) services for greater New Haven residents

Salvation Army of New Haven -- $10,000

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

Town of Hamden Community Services -- $7,500

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

Town of Hamden Community Services -- $12,000

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

Emergency Food and Shelter Program Investments covering programs serving Meriden, Wallingford, Ansonia, Derby, Shelton, Waterbury and Naugatuck ($217,323 total)

Area Congregations Together, Inc.                                  $30,949

Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries                          $31,641

Meriden Wallingford Chrysalis                                           $7,298

Meriden Soup Kitchen, Inc.                                                 $8,086

Morris Foundation                                                                 $8,479

NOW Inc. Waterbury                                                            $28,839

Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury                                     $10,590

Salvation Army of Ansonia                                                  $2,486

Salvation Army of Meriden                                                 $8,323

Salvation Army of Waterbury                                             $22,147

St. Vincent DePaul Society                                                 $45,073

Training, Education and Manpower                                  $3,599

The Birmingham Group, Inc.                                              $9,813

Total New Haven County Emergency Food and Shelter Investments    $438,240.