From 2021, one of the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan’s 455 mobile food distributions across mid-Michigan. Through federal funding announced recently, the FBEM will be receiving $2 million to cover the cost of shared maintenance fees for its distribution program. File photos
GENESEE COUNTY — Congressman Dan Kildee’s office has announced that passage of the most recent federal government funding bill will include money to support 15 community projects in mid-Michigan.
Altogether, community projects in Genesee County, Saginaw County and Bay County will be receiving a total of $35,348,085 from the government funding package. The federal funding for local initiatives will support afterschool and cultural enrichment programs for youth, small business development, infrastructure repairs and transportation improvements, economic development projects, substance abuse treatment programs and blight removal.
Additionally, the package provides $5 million for Flint’s Lead Registry. Created and first funded by Congress in 2016, the Flint Registry continues to play a critical role in the city’s recovery from the Flint water crisis.
In Genesee County, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan will be receiving $2 million to cover the cost of shared maintenance fees associated with operating 455 mobile food distributions across mid-Michigan, including the cost of equipment, fuel, drivers, insurance, maintenance and the movement and storage of donated and purchased food.
The Genesee County Land Bank Authority will be getting $4 million from the government spending package to demolish up to 240 dangerous and vacant residential and commercial structures. The funding will create opportunities for homeowners to build wealth through homeownership and new opportunities for economic investment and revitalization.
“This federal funding will assist us in demolishing blighted and hazardous structures in our community and improve the health and vitality of many neighborhoods that have been left behind,” said Michael Freeman, Executive Director, Genesee County Land Bank Authority. “Eliminating hazards in neighborhoods and commercial corridors is the first step to restoring value to neighboring homeowners, creating opportunities for residents to build wealth through homeownership and creating new opportunities for equitable investment and improvements in areas that have experienced significant hardship over the past few decades.”
Just over $1.9 million will be going to the Flint Institute of Science and History, in coordination with the Sloan Museum of Discovery, Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Soap Box Derby, Crim Fitness Foundation, and the Flint Institute of Music, to expand and improve after school services available to students across Genesee County.
These programs will help children in Genesee County have access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) education.
“We are so excited for the youth of Flint and surrounding areas to benefit from this funding,” said Todd K. Slisher, Executive Director, Sloan Museum and Longway Planetarium. “This support for after-school educational experiences is critical to help our kids grow and develop. The new Sloan Museum of Discovery and our Discovery Lab will be able to provide enriching and educational experiences in STEM to thousands of students each year.”
Another $2.8 million will be available for the Bay, Genesee and Saginaw Habitats for Humanity to make critical home repairs, including energy systems and roofs, for veterans and low-income households and to support the Flint Home Improvement Fund (HIF), which helps Flint residents make necessary home upgrades to address health and safety issues.
“This Community Project Funding request will help Genesee, Bay and Saginaw-Shiawassee Habitat for Humanity Affiliates continue to provide essential home repairs for low to moderate homeowners,” said Thomas Hutchison, Executive Director, Genesee County Habitat for Humanity. “These services are crucial to assuring families safe, affordable housing, while also securing equity to help to close the generational wealth gap felt by so many hard-working Michigan families.”
An allotment of $4.3 million has also been set aside for eight mid-Michigan law enforcement agencies in the Genesee/Saginaw/Bay areas, as well as the Michigan State Police, to participate in the mid-Michigan Law Enforcement Modernization Plan.
Additional funding sources include the Genesee County Road Commission, which will receive $750,000 to upgrade and improve several roads in areas such as Flint, Fenton and Grand Blanc; and Mott Community College, which is getting $2.06 million to expand language and literacy services programs for Genesee County children through Latinx and the Flint Genesee Literacy Network. — B.G.
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