Non-profit organizations in Porter County that provide emergency food and shelter are urged to apply for a share of a $107,776 grant that has been awarded through the Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency.

A meeting will be held March 24 to discuss the grant, which will assist local nonprofits to expand crisis shelter and food programs that help the poor and the homeless in Porter County. The meeting will be at 10 a.m. at the United Way of Porter County office, 951 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso.

The grant comes from a Congressional appropriation of $200 million to supplement and extend emergency food and shelter programs.

Representatives from around the county make up a local FEMA board, which will decide how the funds will be distributed. The United Way of Porter County has been selected to act as a fiscal agent and provide staff support.

The funding will be used to target special economic emergency needs, not those that are disaster-related. Under the terms of the grant, local governmental or private voluntary organizations that receive the funds must be a nonprofit, must have an accounting system and conduct an annual audit, must practice nondiscrimination, must demonstrate the capability to deliver emergency food and/or shelter programs and must have a voluntary board.

In 2009, $44,090.00 was distributed to local emergency food and shelter programs throughout Porter County, according to the United Way. For more information, contact Madge Whickcar of the United Way at 464-3583.