Two Carbon County organizations that help the homeless will receive a portion of a $77,187 federal grant. The money is made possible through the Department of Community and Economic Development's Emergency Shelter, Rapid Rehousing and Homelessness Prevention program and the efforts of state Sen. John Yudichak, D-Luzerne/Carbon, and state Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon.

"This money will help get families back on their feet during difficult times," Heffley said. "Many people perceive homelessness to be an urban issue, but there is a homeless population in Carbon County, and these resources will be a big help."Carbon County Action Committee will receive funds for its Rapid Re-Housing and Homeless Prevention program. The funds will provide short-term and medium-term rental assistance, financial assistance and case management services to homeless people and families."As winter approaches, preventing homelessness and supporting our homeless shelters will save lives and give families an opportunity to rebuild," Yudichak said.The other organization to receive funds is Family Promise of Carbon County as an emergency shelter. Natalie Bojko, the executive director, said this is the first time Family Promise will receive federal grants. She doesn't know how much of the grant they will receive, but is thankful for it."We will be using the money to continue our services and maybe expand," she said.Family Promise provides daytime services for homeless families. Parents can use its address and computers to look for work and apply for other services, and the children have a place to go to after school where they can do their homework. In the evening, the families are bused to a local church where they eat dinner and sleep for the night.Family Promise can assist four families or up to 14 people, Bojko said. Currently, there are two families and 11 people in the program, many of them are children."We have to match the grant dollar-for-dollar," Bojko said.This can include monetary value of volunteer hours and material donations. Last year, they had 9,500 hours of volunteer service, she said.According to Independent Sector, a leadership network in Washington, D.C., for nonprofits, volunteer hours in Pennsylvania are currently worth $23.40 per hour. This number is based on the hourly wage of "all production and nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls average (based on yearly earnings provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) for the national average," as stated on its website.Bojko said Family Promise will be hosting its biggest fundraiser, an '80s-themed "Party for a Cause," on Nov. 12 at the Sokol Hall in Palmerton."Anything we make can be put toward the grant, so come out and help us match it," she said.Tickets are available at Family Promise in Lehighton or at Keller Williams Real Estate in Palmerton. They cost $20 each and about a third have already been sold, she said. Sponsors are still being accepted. For more information, call at 610-379-4757 or

Director@FamilyPromiseCarbonCounty.com.