United Way of Whitman County is advocating for the restoration of federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) funding, which supports local nonprofits that provide food, shelter, and emergency assistance to individuals facing hardships.

The organization oversees the distribution of these federal funds through a volunteer-based local board comprised of representatives from national nonprofit partners.

In 2024, over $43,000 in EFSP support was allocated to food-related services.

Deanna Bren, Executive Director of United Way of Whitman County, noted that the pause in EFSP funding has led to uncertainty for local partners providing essential services. The organization is currently exploring solutions and engaging with frontline providers to identify urgent needs. Consequently, they have informed current Community Partners that this year’s Community Grant cycle may be affected as they assess how to best utilize available resources.

United Way encourages community members to contact their Congressional representatives to advocate for the restoration of Emergency Food and Shelter Program funding.