SAVANNAH — Chatham County has received federal funds under the emergency food and shelter national board program. Chatham County will receive $165,157 to supplement emergency food and shelter programs in this area. The funds will be distributed in 2009 to the qualifying organizations selected by the local board. The United Way of the Coastal Empire serves as the administrator of the local board.
Under the terms of the national board, local governmental or private voluntary organizations chosen to receive funds must: (1) be nonprofit, (2) have an accounting system and conduct an annual audit, (3) practice nondiscrimination, (4) have demonstrated the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs, and (5) if they are a private voluntary organization, they must have a voluntary board.
 A local board made up of representatives from local emergency services agencies, United Way of the Coastal Empire, city and county governments, Catholic charities, American Red Cross, Jewish Federation, the Salvation Army, other organizations and community volunteers will determine how the funds are to be distributed among emergency food and shelter programs run by local service organizations.  
For more information, call (912) 651-7727 or e-mail redwards@uwce.org.
The deadline to turn in funding applications is 5 p.m. Friday, March 27.