Families in need throughout Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties will have another chance to get help with food and shelter costs courtesy of a grant provided by the Department of Homeland Security.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins’ office announced late last week that Androscoggin County would receive $75,612, Franklin, $24,277, and Oxford, $47,744 in funding as part of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

“This is good news and bad news,” said Dennis Gray, United Way’s director for Oxford County.

Oxford County received $10,000 more this year than last. That means unemployment and poverty is up, Gray said.

The grant is administered by the non-disaster section of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The numbers were up for Androscoggin County, as well, said Joleen Bedard, the county’s executive director of United Way. Last year, the figure was about $56,000. A comparison for Franklin County could not be found.

Gray said the boards of each county’s United Way will convene within 45 days to call for applications from organizations such as food pantries and homeless shelters. Fund distribution will be in the late winter or early spring.

Gray said food pantries have been intensely used by families this year. He speculated that more people were using the food pantries and diverting the money they would have spent on groceries for heating costs.

Bedard said sometimes some of the funding can be used for heating or electricity.

The three counties’ grants were part of a total of $874,249 distributed statewide for 12 of the state’s 16 counties.