EFSP Funds awarded to the City of Covington   Covington, VA (October 5, 2021) –The city of Covington was recently awarded EFSP funds for phase 38. These funds can be used to assist resident of Covington with mortgage, rent, and utility bills. The national EFSP office mandates that only one month’s bill can be paid per a spending cycle. Phase 38 ends April 30, 2022. The agencies receiving the funds are not able to deviate from the policies and procedure of the national office. Each of the following agencies have receive funds for certain assistance. * * * Mortgage and other emergency shelter: HOPE – Helping Other People Excel 414 S Mercer Ave Covington VA Office phone: 540-691-5248 Email:hopeinc4u2day@aol.com The office is open Monday – Wednesday from 11am- 2pm. Please call or email to make an appointment. * * * Rental assistance: TAP – Total Action for Progress 118 S Lexington Ave Covington VA Office phone: 540-962-6328 The office is open Monday – Friday from 8:30M – 5 pm. Please call to make an appointment. * * * Utility assistance: The Salvation Army 115 S. Lexington Ave Covington VA Office phone: 540-962-6206 The office is open Monday – Friday from 9:00am – 5pm. Please call to make an appointment. SafeHome Systems received funding for its domestic abuse shelter. Alleghany County was also awarded some funds for resident not living in Covington. These funds are very limited. Call TAP for rental assistance and The Salvation Army for utility assistance. The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) is a Federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA). It has been entrusted through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (PL 100-77) “to supplement and expand ongoing efforts to provide shelter, food and supportive services” by local social service organizations for people across our Nation who are hungry, homeless, and in economic crisis. Funded agencies, known as “Local Recipient Organizations” (LROs), use EFSP supplemental funds for mass shelter, mass feeding, food distribution through food pantries and food banks, one-month utility payments to prevent service cut-offs, and one-month rent/mortgage assistance to prevent evictions or assist people leaving shelters to establish stable living conditions.

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