HHS Awards $46 Million in Recovery Act Funds to Create Jobs and Spur Economic Improvement

Georgia grants awarded go to DeKalb County, Spalding County Collaborative Authority for Families & Youth, and Athens based Area Committee To Improve Opportunities Now, Inc.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded $46 million to 84 grantees under a new program, the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF), created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The purpose of the grants is to improve the ability of nonprofit organizations to promote the economic recovery of people with low incomes.

"We are pleased to support nonprofit organizations that train people to land and keep jobs, earn higher wages, and reach economic independence," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. "This is what the Recovery Act was meant to do-provide the help people need to help themselves."

The Strengthening Communities Fund is comprised of two programs, both of which will boost the ability of community and faith-based organizations to handle the broad economic recovery issues in their communities, including job training and retention and access to state and Federal benefits. All grants are one-time, two-year awards. The State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building Program provides funds for government entities, which then in turn work with community-based organizations. The Nonprofit Capacity Building Program funds intermediary agencies, which also work with community organizations to enhance their economic recovery activities.

"The Strengthening Communities Fund is an important part of the overall recovery effort," said Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, Carmen Nazario. "The activities funded under this program will fortify organizations in distressed communities so that they can improve their services to people who need jobs and opportunities to secure healthier, more prosperous futures."

Under the State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building Program, 29 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and American Samoa are receiving awards between $167,000 and $250,000. Awardees include seven state governments, the District of Columbia, three U.S. territories, nine city governments, eight county governments, four tribal governments, and 18 nonprofit organizations that have been designated by governments as eligible to apply.

One of the grantees receiving funds under this part of the program is the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families in Madison. Wisconsin has been hit hard by the recession, and this project is directly focused on Recovery Act goals. The grantee will give training and technical assistance, education, and easily accessible information on Recovery Act opportunities to up to 500 organizations that serve the state's most vulnerable populations

Under the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program, 35 applicants will receive grants between $765,000 and $1,000,000. Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Missouri is one noteworthy project in this category with a long history of providing training and technical assistance to nonprofits. Their use of this grant will increase the operational capacity of about 40 local organizations through comprehensive education, mentoring, and funding. Further, the project requires that each nonprofit sponsor one young person who will learn how to manage and grow these organizations, thus creating the next generation of nonprofit leadership.

Another project in this category is in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Knoxville Leadership Foundation will work with partners from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program as well as organizations focused on general economic recovery. Through a combination of direct funding and intensive technical assistance, the project will help 50 grassroots organizations improve their service to families in need of support.

"Faith and community-based organizations have been the backbone of strong neighborhoods for generations," said Joshua DuBois, executive director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. "The Strengthening Communities Fund is an acknowledgement of their key role in reaching the goals of the Recovery Act by helping people weather tough economic times."

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Vice President Biden Announces Release of Nearly $100 Million in Recovery Act Funding to Support Senior Nutrition Programs

Vice President Joe Biden announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services will award $100 million in Recovery Act funding to provide meals to tens of thousands of low-income older Americans in need. The funding is expected to provide nearly 14 million meals
nationwide.

"Across the country, older Americans depend on senior centers and home delivery programs for regular, healthy meals. Today, more senior citizens are in need, but the programs they depend on are on the brink of reducing their services or closing down," said Vice President Biden. "The Recovery Act will help ensure older Americans are not forced to choose between paying bills and buying food."

The Recovery Act provides $65 million for congregate nutrition services provided at senior centers and other community sites, $32 million for home delivered nutrition services delivered to frail elders at home and $3 million for Native American nutrition programs. The funding will be awarded to 56 states and territories and 246 tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. States will award the funds to organizations that provide nutrition services in their communities. Funding for nutrition programs for seniors in the Older Americans Act was initially authored and championed by Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

The Recovery Act funding comes as budget constraints have forced states and tribes to limit community-based services and critical Older Americans Act related services, including home-delivered meals. Across the country, organizations that serve senior citizens have scaled back services and limited the number of meals served per week.

The economic downturn has also made it difficult for many seniors to afford the right foods to keep themselves healthy and active. Additionally, many seniors may be too impaired to prepare nutritious meals for themselves. Without regular nutritious meals, the health of many older Americans declines; they become more susceptible to illness; their ability to manage their chronic diseases is reduced, and they may lose their ability to remain at home, independent in their community.

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Gingrey Applauds Passage of Clean Troop Funding Bill and Improvements Upon GI Bill

U.S. Congressman Phil Gingrey (R-GA), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, today (June 19, 2008) voted in support of H.R. 2642, the Iraq and Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Bill, which not only provides necessary funding for the Global War on Terror, but will also strengthen the educational benefit for our men and women in uniform who have so bravely served our nation.

“This bill is a true victory for our men and women in uniform,” said Gingrey. “Not only does this supplemental provide our warfighters the tools they need to continue their success in the Global War on Terror, but it also gives our soldiers returning home the access to higher education that they so richly deserve.”

“Over the last twenty years, the basic Montgomery GI Bill allowance has only increased by 193% while the average cost of a four-year public school – tuition, room and board – has increased by 278%. Given the many sacrifices that our soldiers have made defending our freedoms, it is only right that we address this discrepancy.”

“Republicans fought for the inclusion of provisions allowing the benefit to be transferred between soldiers and their immediate family members — provisions not included in the original Webb GI Bill — which members of the military cited as the most important aspect of any improved version of the GI bill. I was proud to stand with our soldiers — and their families — in supporting this much needed improvement.”

In addition to the transferability to the provisions of the GI Bill here are a few other key provisions House Republicans fought hard to include in the Iraq and Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Bill are listed below:

· Provides Troop Funding for FY 2008-2009. The agreement ensures that our men and women in uniform will have the resources they need well into the next Administration, rejecting demands from Democrats to stop funding our troops who continue to make significant progress in Iraq and Afghanistan.

· Eliminates ALL War Restrictions. The agreement gets our troops the funding they need for success without any politically-motivated restrictions that the Democratic Majority pushed for in order to hamstring our commanders in the field.

· Provides New Resources for American Veterans. The agreement will help our veterans (or their families) get a better education after they return from Iraq and Afghanistan.

· Cuts Wasteful Pork. The agreement cuts $8 billion in wasteful Washington spending.

· Rejects Funding for Planned Parenthood. The agreement eliminates funding for Planned Parenthood.

· Ensures SCHIP Serves Low-Income Children First. The agreement eliminates a Senate Democrat-authored provision designed to overturn Administration efforts to ensure that SCHIP serves the neediest children first.

· Includes NO Tax Increases. The agreement includes no tax increases of any kind.