A bit of relief is on the way for some of the poorest residents
of San Benito County, money that may decide whether a family has
electricity in their apartment, enough food on the table and the
ability to finally move out of a homeless shelter.
Hollister – A bit of relief is on the way for some of the poorest residents of San Benito County, money that may decide whether a family has electricity in their apartment, enough food on the table and the ability to finally move out of a homeless shelter.
The relief comes in the guise of $51,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), money that the county expects to receive in March of next year and that will be administered by the Department of Community Services and Workforce Development.
“We will use it to pay first month’s rent for families who don’t have the money or those facing eviction,” said Maria Fehl, deputy director of the county agency.
Community Pantry, which gives out thousands of bags of groceries to needy families each year, will get about $13,000 from the federal grant and the rest will be used to help families pay their PG&E bills and buy bus tickets that will enable them to go shopping and the kids to school. The money will also give them food vouchers to be redeemed by Fishes and Loaves, a Catholic organization that has partnered with the agency to provide food.
Fishes and Loaves has provided food for 235 families over the past year, even though they don’t always have vouchers, which are distributed by the federal government.
“The need is high, vouchers or not, and it’s our mission to help the poor,” said Paul Armbruster, member of Sacred Heart Church who has run Fishes and Loaves in Hollister for the last six years.
Fishes and Loaves frequently holds food drives and has delivered food to the county-run Migrant Labor Camp regularly.
San Benito County has been receiving FEMA money since 1986 and has used it to keep the poorest residents afloat in times of hardship.
The federal program funds supplemental food, shelter, mortgage and utility assistance programs for people and families facing temporary financial emergencies. The Central Coast was awarded a total of $637,500, money that will be split between Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties.
San Benito received the smallest portion of money, with $377,965 going to Monterey County and $208,491 for Santa Cruz County.
Congressman Sam Farr (CA-Carmel), who is on the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped ensure the money would be available for the area, said Rochelle Dornatt, Farr’s chief of staff.
“In a budget year when the pressure is on to cut social programs and put it into the war in Iraq, Congressman Farr fought to ensure the money would be secured,” she said.
Karina Ioffee covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at (831)637-5566 ext. 335 or [email protected]
