Vermont Business Magazine The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $1.5 million to the State of Vermont to reimburse the costs of providing emergency meals for residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $1,473,362 Public Assistance grant will go to the Agency of Commerce and Community Development for providing meal preparation and delivery service to high-risk populations under the state’s emergency feeding program “Vermont Everyone Eats” between January and February 2022.
During that time the agency entered into an agreement with Southeastern Vermont Community Action, Inc. (SEVCA), which established and coordinated with state-wide subcontractors (Hubs) that oversaw restaurant engagement, production, and distribution of 117,869 meals to Vermonters experiencing food insecurity.
The program launched in August 2020 with $5 million from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund and has continued with additional funding through FEMA.
“FEMA is pleased to support Vermont’s innovative approach to assisting its most vulnerable populations,” said FEMA Region I Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “By involving the private sector in the preparation and distribution of meals, both those faced with food insecurity and those who work at restaurants are helped.”
FEMA also will be sending more than $2 million to the State of Vermont to reimburse the costs of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $2,025,369 Public Assistance grant will go to the Vermont Agency of Human Services for contracting with security and consultation providers between March 2020 and December 2021.
Those contracts were to provide security services at non-congregate sheltering locations and subject matter expertise and liaisons to the Vermont Department of Health (VDH), Department of Public Safety (DPS), Vermont Emergency Management (VEM) and other critical federal, state and local emergency response partners in the state’s development and implementation of COVID-19 emergency response plans.
“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the State of Vermont with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”
FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. So far, FEMA has provided more than $344 million in grants to Vermont to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.
Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit. To learn more about the COVID-19 response in Vermont, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4532.
4.26.2022. BOSTON – FEMA
