Delaware is receiving almost 66 million dollars in federal funding to help communities hardest hit during the pandemic.
Delaware is receiving $65.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Fund money for construction and renovation of 29 nonprofit community facilities in all three counties.
The facilities will provide services or activities that directly enable work, education, and health monitoring in areas with unmet needs.
Sen. Chris Coons says the funding will help a variety of organizations.
"This is a great investment in the capital needs of nonprofits up-and-down our state. Youth centers, community centers, senior centers, homeless shelters,” said Coons. “The types of organizations like St. Patrick's that we've known for decades and others that are relatively new."
Almost a third of the funding - $20 million - will go to the Community Education Center South to redevelop the former Nylon Capital Shopping Center in Seaford.
Delaware State University and Delaware Tech are slated to establish campuses there. A medical facility, early learning center, and a co-working space for start-up companies are also planned at the site.
The Food Bank of Delaware will get over $7 million for a new facility in Milford and to expand its Newark facility.
The Forum to Advance Minorities in Engineering gets $7 million for a new Wilmington headquarters, West End Neighborhood House receives over $2.7 million, and Code Purple Kent County will receive $550,000.
Gov. John Carney says these projects are ready to move forward.
"These applications were put in some time ago. A lot of them have to do with HVAC improvements, all of which were very important during COVID, and in many cases enables these community centers to serve more people, more children. It does also include new facilities and expanding service areas. So that's an important part of it too," said Carney.
The projects cover three categories - those focusing on children, those investing in communities, and those focused on safer housing and a stronger economy.
Delaware submitted its plan to the U.S. Treasury in January 2022, and it was approved May 1, 2023.
Below is how the funding is being allocated:
FOCUS ON OUR CHILDREN
- $1.57 million to Boys and Girls Clubs statewide to make capital upgrades to 9 facilities to meet COVID-19 needs, including improving HVAC systems, and upgrading outdoor playgrounds
- $20 million to Community Education Center South, to redevelop the former Nylon Capital Shopping Center in Seaford
- $150,000 to Child Inc. to upgrade three emergency shelters in Kent and Sussex Counties
- $4.5 million to the Christina Cultural Arts Center to purchase and develop a new headquarters to serve children and families
- $1.8 million to the Hockessin Police Athletic League (PAL) of Delaware for a new HVAC system in the gymnasium to provide STEM and fitness activities to the community, and provide year-round educational courses
- $4 million to the Claymont Community Center to upgrade outdoor community facilities, upgrade the HVAC, and provide client transport vehicles
- $4 million to Kingswood Community Center for multi-purpose community space in Wilmington to enable work, education, and health monitoring
- $500,000 to First State Community Action Agency in Bridgeville for HVAC repairs, purchase of vehicles to transport youth from underserved communities for programming, case management for community service employment and reentry programs
- $7 million to Forum to Advance Minorities in Engineering (FAME) for a new headquarters to enhance FAME’s skills training, job placement, education programs, workforce development programs, and health awareness
- $700,000 to the Gaudenzia Foundation to combat and prevent child abuse by treating parents with substance abuse disorders
- $150,000 to Our Youth Inc. to help renovate the youth center to use as a community hub and community service facility
- $6.4 million to the Mary Campbell Center to renovate medical facilities, filtration, and other COVID-19 upgrades to their existing building and to support children and youth programming
- $300,000 to the Junior Achievement of Delaware to purchase a mobile unit to serve Kent and Sussex Counties and support the Junior Achievement Innovation hub
INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITIES
- $150,000 to the Claymore Senior Center to replace the HVAC system and remodel the kitchen to meet pandemic response needs serving more seniors in a safe environment
- $431,000 to the Down Syndrome Association of Delaware to renovate the headquarters to offer employment opportunities, educational programs and health supports to families with children that have Down Syndrome
- $64,866 for Endless Possibilities in the Community to purchase handicap accessible equipment to help people with physical, mental, and other disabilities
- $89,890 for Kent-Sussex Industries to expand and open a new location in Georgetown to enable work, education, and health monitoring
- $350,000 for the Mid-County Center to renovate the center to establish early memory loss programs for seniors
- $350,000 for NeighborGood Partners (formerly NCALL) to acquire and develop a building in Dover to cultivate and invest in entrepreneurs in partnership with Delaware State University
- $67,703 for People’s Community Center to renovate their facility to provide assistance and services to the homeless
- $600,000 for the St. Patrick’s Center for improvements to the food distribution site serving the Eastside of Wilmington to meet pandemic response needs
- $2.78 million for the West End Neighborhood House, Inc. to expand operations and provide workforce and healthcare services to the community
- $35,000 for the Teach a Person to Fish Society to expand meal delivery services and provide educational and job training services
- $290,000 for the Community Christian Worship Center to purchase technology to enable education, work, and health monitoring for youth programming
- $144,110 for The Challenge Program to renovate their facility to provide training more young adults for construction jobs in hard hit areas
- $1.3 million for Kappa Mainstream Leadership, Inc. for improvements to the center focused on crime prevention and increasing academic performance of youth
- $5.5 million for the Food Bank of Delaware to build a new Milford Food Bank location
- $1.9 million to the Food Bank of Delaware to expand the existing Newark facility
SAFER HOUSING, STRONGER ECONOMY
- $550,000 to Code Purple Kent County to expand and renovate the center for housing for homeless individuals, people experiencing mental health crisis, escape victims from human trafficking and domestic violence as well as individuals recovering from addiction
- $183,516 to Salvation Army of Dover for HVAC renovations
