LOVELOCK - Pershing County was recently awarded a grant from the United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra (UWNNS) in the amount of $3,143 for emergency food and shelter. This is the ninth year the county has received the UWNNS grant.
"It's a big help to the community," said Janice Rutherford, who administers the money for the county.
Rutherford said that although the county has not officially received the funds as of Jan. 7, she has been notified of the awarded grant.
"We usually get this grant in March or April, but this is the first one for the 2013 year and it is already allocated," Rutherford said.
Most of the grant, about $2,490, will be used to pay back the Lovelock Community Food Bank for food vouchers given out by the county. Rutherford said that it cost the county $15 for each person who receives a food voucher. Each voucher is good for one week's worth of food from the food bank. The UWNNS grant will be used to retro pay the food bank from around April 2012, she said.
The rest of the grant, about $653, will be used to pay for homeless/transient care and emergency situations for disabled and low income residents. Rutherford said these funds can be used only in an emergency situation.
UWNNS received $486,828 in funding from the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board, a Federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency management Agency to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services for the nation's hungry, homeless and people in economic crisis.
"This supplement to UWNNS is critical during these tough economic times," said Karen Barsell, chief executive officer and president of UWNNS. "These funds will help many individuals in our region that are in need of basic assistance."
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