Federal aid not enough to cover growing need

By Sara Spigener

Athens-Clarke County is slated to receive $38,325 in emergency food and shelter aid, but local agencies fear that this will not be enough to meet the area’s growing need.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is distributing funds made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Several agencies are vying for a piece of this stimulus money because they fear that donations will not be able to keep up with the steady increase in need in Clarke County.

Community Connection is a referral service in Clarke County that directs those seeking aid to the proper agency. Their call volume is up 20 percent this year over last year, and 50 percent of calls are for financial assistance with housing or food, said Julie Meehan, the organization’s executive director.

The Salvation Army shelter is so full at times that mats are rolled out onto the floor and used as beds, said employee Carol Pumadera. Project Safe’s emergency shelter has also been operating at capacity, said the organization’s associate director, Carol Ann Adams.

Most agencies cite the economy as the primary reason for the sharp increase in need over the last eight to 10 months. People are seeing their work hours get cut, and many are losing their jobs altogether.

One recent visitor to the Athens Emergency Food Bank was a longtime truck driver, but when business slowed down, he lost his truck and his job.

“People who have worked their whole lives are now needing assistance,” said Kim Ramos, director of the Athens Emergency Food Bank.

Meehan said that a large volume of Community Connection’s callers have never needed aid until recently.

“The economy has shaken up their lives,” she said.

Both Project Safe and Community Connection are losing some of their grant and government funding. The FEMA allocations will provide much needed money to supplement donations, but many agencies need the money, and it will probably be spread thin.

While donations are holding steady for now at most agencies, they fear that they will not be able to meet demand in the near future without an increase in aid. Meehan said that individual donors have stepped up lately, but it is hard to find the support that agencies are used to.

“If donations do not increase to meet the increase in need, we will not be able to meet that need,” Ramos said.

To volunteer or make a donation to any of the Athens-Clarke County emergency shelter and food agencies, please contact Community Connection at 211 or 706-353-1313.

-Edited by Bailey Keiger