COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — More than $4.3 million in federal emergency food and shelter assistance is headed to Ohio counties.
The total was recently announced by the State Set-Aside Committee, a panel of charitable organizations and state social services agencies. Awards were down 47 percent in 2011, and down another 3 percent this year.
Committee chairwoman Barbara Sykes called it unfortunate that the amount has fallen as the need for emergency food and shelter is on the increase.
Fifty counties are set to receive direct awards totaling nearly $3.8 million, with another $530,000 being split among 65 counties.
The amount represents about 82 cents for each Ohioan living under the poverty line, unemployed, receiving food-stamp assistance or qualifying as "food insecure."
