Council allocates funds for social services
5/8/2014Toledo City Council approved millions in federal community development block grant funding for social-service agencies and homeless shelters Wednesday with last-minute changes that eliminated funding for an after-school program operating at two city schools and shifted that money to other groups.
After-School All Stars, a national program that operates in Toledo, Columbus, and Dayton, requested $50,000 for its activities at Birmingham and Walbridge elementary schools. A citizen-review committee and Mayor D. Michael Collins’ administration recommended it get $49,150 for the upcoming federal funding grant year that runs from July 1 through June 30, 2015. Last year, the group got $50,000 in CDBG money.
Councilman Jack Ford suggested that money instead be directed to UpTown Association Inc., a community development corporation in the UpTown neighborhood; Adelante Inc.; and the Economic Opportunity Planning Association.
Toledo got a reduction in block grant money this year — down about 1.7 percent from last year to nearly $6.89 million for the upcoming federal funding grant year.
UpTown Association requested $78,309, but was recommended to receive $40,000; Adelante requested $40,000, but was recommended to receive $30,640, and EOPA requested $451,000 in block grant money, up from the $300,000 it received last year. It was recommended to receive just $196,000.
Council voted 11-0 to approve the allocations with changes to the list of recommendations handed over by the Collins administrations. Councilman Tom Waniewski was not present.
UpTown will get $55,000, Adelante $35,640, and EOPA gets $216,600, with the stipulation the extra money be used for homes on its waiting list for repairs. Each home’s project would be limited to $3,000. Council also increased funding for Family House, a homeless shelter, from the 2014-15 recommended $56,466 to $59,716; Believe Center’s recommended $15,000 to $17,950, and Sofia Quintero Art & Cultural Center from the recommended $35,000 to $37,950.
Twenty-eight social service agencies and 13 homeless services providers applied for federal funding through the city. Many took funding cuts compared to what was received last year.
Contact Ignazio Messina at: imessina@theblade.com or 419-724-6171 or on Twitter @IgnazioMessina.