Demand for Aid

From Federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program increasing rapidly in Brown County

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The desire for funds among the 11 LROs may appear to be a competitive battle, all of the organizations not only work well together, but also feed off one another, according to Nennig.

“We have been very fortunate to have a group that can cooperate and encourage one another,” said Nennig.

The EFSP began in the late 1970s with Stewart B. McKinley. McKinley, a U.S. representative from Connecticut, had an interest in helping the homeless and those with basic needs. As a result of his passion, the Stewart B. McKinley Homeless Assistance Act was founded. In 1983, legislation created a national board chaired by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Although much has been accomplished in the past, the EFSP faces a potentially daunting future, according to Brown County United Way Community Impact Manager Hiep Nguyen.

The mixture of new, incoming LROs and the possibility of reduced funds, with the continued need of grants by the LROs, could prove to be quite trying. “Annually, request amounts from organizations will increase,” said Nennig.

"As the unemployment rate of Brown County decreases, our funds will decrease,” he added. In 2005, Nennig estimated that 30 percent of the county was one paycheck away from being homeless.

However, with the amount of work being done by the current LROs, the future is full of possibilities.

Because applying for LRO status is an open process, Nennig said he expects there’ll be a growing number of applicants in the community. “It is advertised in the newspaper and any organization in the community is welcome to apply,” he said.

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