Carbon County is serving as the applicant for an Emergency Solutions Grant to help a homeless shelter with its operations.

Last week, the county commissioners held a public hearing on the application for Family Promise of Carbon County to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development in the amount of $80,000.

The hearing was part of the application requirements.

Cathy Lamm, executive director of Family Promise and the head of the Carbon County Homeless Task Force, said that the money would be used in two ways — $60,000 toward operations and $20,000 for essential services.

In addition, the county noted that Family Promise has guaranteed a dollar-for-dollar match for the grant.

Eloise Ahner, county administrator, said once the hearing was open that the county received two emails in support of the application for funding. No additional residents were present at the hearing.

Lamm said that the grant would help the homeless shelter with utilities, insurances, food for families currently under their care, fuel and transportation costs, as well as for case management services.

She pointed out that last year, Family Promise of Carbon County served 134 individuals and so far this year, up until the meeting, the organization has served 115 people.

“We have a very, very long waiting list,” Lamm said.

She further broke it down that under the shelter’s care at this time are eight families, with 14 of those family members being children under the age of 14.

Family Promise began in 2009 through a partnership with several area churches. The organization and churches provided families facing homelessness with a day center, as well as a rotating place to sleep until they were able to get back on their feet.

However, the pandemic changed the operations.

In 2021, discussions on how to bring operations under one roof began, and in 2022 the former St. Francis of Assisi Church and rectory on West Mill Street in Nesquehoning was purchased from the Diocese of Allentown.

The organization began operations in 2023 out of the rectory and have served families, as well as single women, from that site ever since.

Commissioner Wayne Nothstein thanked Lamm and the staff and volunteers involved with Family Promise for all of their efforts.

He also encouraged the public to reach out to the organization to contribute or volunteer their time.

Lamm said that the shelter is currently only operating in the former rectory, with all eight bedrooms currently occupied, but noted that there are plans in the future to expand shelter services next door as well to the former church building.

Commissioners’ Chairman Michael Sofranko said that these actions to help Family Promise is showing a desire to work together with organizations to help secure funds to meet the needs of the people.

The commissioners then closed the hearing and adopted a resolution authorizing the filing of the application, as well as approved a statement of assurances for the application.

For more information on Family Promise of Carbon County, visit https://www.familypromisecarboncounty.org or call 610-379-4757.