United Way of Hancock County has announced the availability of funding for programs and services addressing food insecurity in Hancock County. These funds are made available from the Halt Hunger Initiative funding pool.
Any organization in Hancock County with a 501 (c)(3) charity status, faith-based organizations and schools that can clearly demonstrate the correlation of their programs or services with the Halt Hunger Initiative goals may apply for grants for $2,500 to $75,000 for a one-year cycle which begins in January 2016. The first step is to complete an online request for application (RFA). Organizations that are approved will be invited to apply for a grant.
The goals of the Halt Hunger Initiative are: to support local food programs and providers in their efforts to provide nutritious food to individuals and families in need of food assistance; to assure all those in need have access to food assistance programs; to develop and implement long-term plans for food acquisition, storage capacity and distribution capacity and to educate and equip individuals and families to be food secure.
The RFA is available online at the link above. The deadline for the RFA is August 21.
Over the past three years, the Halt Hunger Initiative has granted $488,400 to programs and services meeting the needs of those facing food insecurity locally.
Food insecurity, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, is the limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.
Those who are food insecure will often have to make choices between buying food and paying for utilities, buying medication or other necessities on a regular or reoccurring basis. In 2010, Feedingamerica.org released statistics indicating 12,000 residents, or one out of every six individuals, in Hancock County dealt with food insecurity on a regular basis. With this compelling information, United Way of Hancock County established the Halt Hunger Initiative in late 2011 and created a grant pool of 1 million dollars over five years to fund nonprofits focused on serving the food insecure and promoting food security. For more information about the work of United Way contact the office at 419-423-1432.