Molinaro Announces $142,000 in Community Grants
“Meet the identified needs of the community with appropriate services and expected outcomes” says Molinaro

Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro announced grants totaling more than $142,000 have been awarded to local non-profit agencies through Dutchess County’s 2012 Community Development Block Grant to fund a variety of community programs.

“These dollars support critical programs in our community, helping people with basic needs such as housing and literacy as well as helping them cope with the challenges of overcoming issues such as substance abuse,” said County Executive Molinaro.   “We are pleased to partner with these community organizations to provide these much needed services.” 

The following agencies received 2012 CDBG funding for their community programs:

• Catholic Charities Community Services Strengthening Families & Resolving Crises will receive $20,392 to provide financial assistance, financial literacy training and ongoing support services to families in need throughout Dutchess County.
• Child Abuse Prevention Center, Inc. Child Advocacy Center will receive $20,393 for response and investigation of allegations of sexual and physical abuse against children as well as support services for victims, families and caregivers.
• Hudson River Housing (HRH) will receive $40,785 to provide emergency housing, meals and case management for homeless families and individuals referred by the Dutchess County Department of Social Services. HRH also works with clients to secure permanent or transitional housing by addressing the underlying causes of their homelessness.  HRH’s River Haven program will also receive funding to provide 24 hour crisis intervention, emergency shelter, counseling, case management and supervised transitional housing for at risk or homeless youth ages 10 to 17.
• Literacy Connections Adult & Family Outreach will receive $20,393 to provide literacy tutorial services through reading and writing skills instruction, primarily for adults who are functionally illiterate.
• Mid-Hudson Addiction Recovery Center will receive $20,393 to provide case management recovery services for residential programs for chemically dependent individuals and families.    The program provides a crisis center, community residences, sober supported living arrangements to assist residents with basic needs to attain and maintain sobriety. 
• The Northeast Community Council will receive $20,393 for youth enrichment programming that includes a Family Support Program for education and social fundamentals for toddlers ages 1 to 4; a Teen Leadership team providing educational, recreational and community service opportunities for at-risk youth; and an employment-training program through the Partnership with Schools & Businesses, providing skills, income & mentoring opportunities for teenagers from low income and at-risk families.

Steven Pressman, Executive Director for the Mid-Hudson Addiction Recovery Center (MARC) said, "The CDBG funding will allow MARC to assist individuals and families in their efforts to recover from the devastating effects of alcoholism and other drug addictions. The services provided through this grant will help them become more self sufficient and return to the community as productive citizens."

"The monies received from the Community Development Block Grant Program helps us to provide services to over 650 children in Dutchess County each year. The children that are helped are often under the age of six and will be given a chance for a much better quality of life. This grant helps to break the cycle of abuse!" said   Kathleen Murphy, Executive Director for the Child Abuse Prevention Center.

Northeast Community Council Executive Director Jenny Hansell said, “The Community Development Block Grant is the backbone of some of our most essential programs, which serve the neediest and most at-risk families in our isolated rural community.  The CDBG funding enables NECC to provide consistent service from year to year, and be responsive to the evolving needs in northeastern Dutchess County.”

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a federally funded program through U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs.  The CDBG program is administered by the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development.   For 2012, Dutchess County received nearly $1.2 million in CDBG funding, with the majority of funding directed to infrastructure and handicapped accessibility projects (7/12/2012 news release)  Federal guidelines allow Dutchess County to direct up to 15% of the County’s annual allocation to fund human services activities.

County Executive Molinaro said, “CDBG grant awards are determined by the ability of the agency to meet the identified needs of the community with appropriate services and expected outcomes.”

Human service programs are selected through a competitive application process that is based on the needs identified in the Dutchess County’s five year Consolidated Plan.   The Consolidated Plan prioritizes the use of CDBG human service program services funds for activities that address the issues of housing and homelessness; youth and job mentoring; substance abuse; and educational/after-school programs.  These programs are primarily aimed to benefit families and individuals of low to moderate income, i.e. 80% of the median family income.    Applications for the 2012 CDBG funds were submitted in October 2011 and finalized in December 2011 following an open public comment period and public hearing.

County Executive Molinaro’s resolution to accept and disperse the CDBG funding was unanimously supported by the Dutchess County Legislature at the July 16th board meeting.