Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Eliot Engel announced that the Ramapo Housing Authority was awarded a $25,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Rep. Engel said, “This money is awarded under a program using public and private resources to help families achieve economic self-sufficiency. It is a worthy objective to help people, and it’s even better to help them to help themselves.”

The 11-term congressman said the grant, made under the Housing Choice Voucher – Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program is to promote the development of local strategies in coordinating assistance in the voucher programs with public and private resources in helping families.

Rep. Engel said that even in these hard times, we must still help those least fortunate among us. “It is a poor excuse to cut help to the needy because of the economic problems we are facing. These people face even harder times, and this program is intended to help them to become self-sufficient.”