The One to Count On...

Iowa has been awarded over 1.1 million dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to fund the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. Senator Tom Harkin says this program has proved to be an essential social safety net, providing for Iowans in a time of need. ESP funds are used to supplement food, shelter, rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs for people with non-disaster related emergencies. The state set-aside allows Iowa to address homelessness and help areas that have plant closings, and assist communities where levels of unemployment do not rise to the required threshold for a direct allocation.