Mayor announces Community Development Block Grant fund allocations

Henry praises community organizations addressing needs, citizen advisers who helped set funding priorities

Mayor Tom Henry joined a group of 6- and 7-year-olds who are attending Wellspring's Daycamp at First Presbyterian Church this morning to announce 2009 Community Development Block Grant allocations from the City of Fort Wayne. The Wellspring program, which targets children from low income families, is one of the programs receiving part of the $235,000 in funds for public services.

“The Community Development Block Grant program is one of the few examples of federal money coming into our community where local decisions affect its use,” said Mayor Tom Henry. “A group of citizen advisers helps me set the priority for how the funds will be allocated and what challenges will be addressed with this funding. In this time of increasing need and decreasing resources, we strive to distribute the funds in such a way that we make each dollar go as far as it can.”

Mayor Henry said the CDBG funds for public services have been prioritized to the greatest needs in our community. He commended the many agencies and organizations capably working to address the most pressing concerns, and said these grants will help support and maintain programs that lift up and assist senior citizens, low-income families, refugees, and those who need job training or health services.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons.

CDBG funds can be used for a variety of activities including public infrastructure improvements, rehabilitation, acquisition, clearance (demolition), economic development, and public services. The City is allowed to spend a portion of the CDBG allotment on public services. Public services include (but are not limited to) child care, health care, job training, recreation programs, education programs, public safety services, services for seniors, and services for homeless persons. The $235,000 allocations in today's announcement comprise the public services portion of the entire Block Grant.

CDBG: Where does it come from?
The City of Fort Wayne receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The amount awarded is based on a formula taking into account many factors, including population and other characteristics. In 2009 the City is receiving $2,132,451. This is the first time since 2003 that Fort Wayne has not experienced a cut in CDBG funds. Last year, the City expected a 10-15% reduction each year going forward, but this year the amount stayed about the same and did not decrease, which allows more funding support than the City had anticipated being able to offer.

CDBG: The City's Grant Application Process
Each year the City takes applications from local non-profit organizations for funding social service programs. The City receives anywhere between 30 and 50 applications annually. Funding decisions are made based on a needs assessment and public community meetings completed as part of the five-year Consolidated Plan. The Consolidated Plan identifies what services the community needs and places a priority on those services. The Plan serves as the basis for allocating the CDBG funds over the next five years and gets updated at least annually.

	2009 Community Development Block Grant Funding Amounts

Applicant		Activity		Funding Amount	Program Description
African Immigrants Social and Economic Development Agency		Job Coaching Initiative		$10,000	Provide job coaching, skills training, application training, and on the job mentoring to African refugees.
Associated Churches of Fort Wayne		Associated Churches Food Bank		$14,000	Provide food through 26 food pantry sites.
Blue Jacket, Inc.		Career Academy		$10,000	Program provides ex-felons with the skills and opportunities necessary to earn transitional and/or permanent employment.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend		Refugee Resettlement		$10,000	Provide case management and resettlement services to recently resettled refugees.
City of Fort Wayne		Neighborhood Clean-Up		$17,000	Provide dumpsters and haul away for neighborhoods wanting to clean up debris and abandoned tires.
East Allen County Schools		EACS Neighborhood Action Center at Autumn Woods Apartment		$10,000	Provide Autumn Woods Apartment residents with supportive services to meet ongoing needs and to help these families keep their children in school
Fort Wayne Medical Society Foundation		Fort Wayne Medical Education Program		$10,000	Provide prenatal visits and lab screening for women awaiting Medicaid eligibility approval.
Fort Wayne Medical Society Foundation		Healthier Moms and Babies		$10,000	Health education and case management for low-income, high-risk pregnant women.
Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation		Jennings Work Study		$7,500	Provide job skills training to high school age children.
Fort Wayne Urban League		Pre-Job Skills Training		$7,500	Provide instruction and assistance that educates and equips children for economic self-reliance and provides adults the skills they need to attain economic self-sufficiency through good jobs
Fort Wayne Urban League		Pre-Apprenticeship		$7,000	Prepare candidates for employment in the construction field.
Genesis Outreach		Workforce Development Training Center		$8,000	Workforce development training center for homeless in which clients are employed in a "paid internship"-style setting while gaining necessary job skills for today's workforce.
Mental Health Association in Allen County		Mental Health Association Client Advocacy for the Mentally Ill		$9,000	Provide client advocacy for the mentally ill to individuals including options for care and treatment.
Burmese Advocacy Center		Skills Training Program		$8,000	Provide refugee and immigrants with employment skills.
Neighborhood Health Clinics		Healthcare for Burmese Residents of Fort Wayne		$14,000	Provide medical and dental services to Burmese population.
Super Shot, Inc.		Free Immunization Clinics for Children		$9,000	Provide 26 free monthly immunization clinics to provide immunizations to children for childhood diseases.
The Reclamation Project, Inc		English as a New Language(ENL) & Transportation Instruction for Refugees		$10,000	Program helps aid and assist in the English language development of newly resettled adult refugees.
Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities		Turnstone's Residential Ramp Building Program		$9,000	Provide wheelchair access ramps to Fort Wayne residents who have a physical disability and limited income
United Hispanic Americans, Inc.		Bilingual Employment Support Services		$9,000	Provide job skills and job search training education to individuals in Spanish and English, as well as computer literacy workshops twice a month.
United Way of Allen County		Ready to Learn/Ready Schools		$10,000	Provides an existing network of collaborative partners to better meet the educational needs of the City's most vulnerable children.
United Way of Allen County		Earned Income Tax Credit Program: Put Money in your Pocket		$5,000	Outreach efforts to low- and moderate-income workers who can benefit from the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credit through free, local tax preparation services.
Wellspring Interfaith Social Services, Inc.		Wellspring Food Bank		$14,000	This program provides food and personal hygiene needs up to once-per-month for individuals and families residing primarily in the central city.
Wellspring Interfaith Social Services, Inc.		Wellspring Summer Day Camp Program		$9,000	Provide summer day camp to low-income children.
Wellspring Interfaith Social Services, Inc.		Wellspring Older Adult Program		$8,000	This program helps provide physical, nutritional and cognitive support for seniors through various activities on a daily basis.
			Total:	$235,000