NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture • Rural Development

1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE  19904

Phone: (302) 857-3580 • Fax: (302) 857-3640 • TDD: (302) 857-3585 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov

Release No. 0347.09                           Contact: Office of Communications (202) 720-4623

Dane Henshall (202) 260-0996

AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES $58.1 MILLION FOR 104 COMMUNITY FACILITIES PROJECTS IN RURAL AREAS Projects Funded in 33 States Include Medical and Community Center, Assisted-Living Facilities and Housing for Teachers

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of $58.1 million in community facilities projects that are being funded immediately with federal funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law in February. Altogether, USDA has announced nearly $179.6 million in Recovery Act funding for community facility projects to date.

"Rural communities are important to the lifeblood of our country and the Obama Administration is committed to keeping them strong by providing Recovery Act funding for facilities such as day care centers, public buildings and community centers that improve the quality of life in these communities," Vilsack said.

In addition to the $58.1 million that USDA Rural Development is providing to fund the 104 projects announced today, recipients will invest $41.2 million from other sources.

For example, Rural Development is providing a $9.4 million loan to Guadalupe County Hospital to replace an outdated facility in Santa Rosa, N.M., with a new 10-bed acute care hospital and medical clinic. The new facility will serve Guadalupe County, a federally designated health professional shortage area, as well as several small villages and surrounding communities. In addition, Guadalupe County Hospital is the only emergency care facility along Interstate 40 between Albuquerque, N.M. to Amarillo, Texas, a distance of 275 miles.

In Whitehall, Mont., Rural Development is providing a $450,000 loan and a $14,000 grant to Liberty Place, Inc., a non-profit corporation that conducts brain injury rehabilitation. The funding will be used to purchase a facility and expand the brain injury care program. Liberty Place Inc. creates structured programs to enable people severely disabled by a brain injury to live in a home-based setting. Currently there are 10 people on the Montana Department of Health and Human Services waiting list for the brain injury program.

"USDA Rural Development programs are designed to sustain our agricultural heritage and to ensure that our rural communities and rural citizens have access to the same basic needs that our urban neighbors take for granted," said Kathy Beisner, USDA Rural Development Acting State Director for Delaware and Maryland.  "We are pleased that $179,452 in grant funds will be provided to four projects located across Delaware and Maryland that will help serve the public."              

In Maryland, the Town of Luke will receive $29,452 to help purchase a snow plow and dump truck; the Town of Oakland will use $50,000 to help purchase an HVAC System that will be installed in an old National Guard Armory Training Facility that will be converted into a viable Community Center; and, Upper Shore Aging, Inc. will use $50,000 to help purchase computers, kitchen items and furniture that will be used in a senior center located in Easton, Maryland. 

In Delaware, Rural Development is providing a $50,000 grant to Bay Shore Community Church, Inc., a non-profit organization in Millsboro, Delaware that has formed Blessings Unlimited Food Pantry.  Blessings Unlimited works in partnership with other community organizations to distribute meals and food to the needy throughout Sussex County.  The funding will help the organization purchase a truck and walk-in refrigerator unit, freezer, forklift  and bar code device.

The funding announced today is being provided through USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities program, which helps finance essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. These facilities include child care centers, hospitals, medical clinics, assisted-living facilities, fire and rescue stations, police stations, community centers, public buildings and transportation. Through this program, USDA ensures that such facilities are available to all rural residents. Public bodies, non-profit organizations and recognized Indian tribes are eligible to apply for funding.

Entities benefiting from the Recovery Act funding today includes:

Alaska:

·        Maniilaq Association; $82,215 grant

·        Norton Sound Health Corporation; $21,600 grant

·        Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation; $133,650 grant

Arkansas:

·        City of Bradley; $16,000 grant

·        City of Hope; $11,000 grant

·        Woodruff County; $27,000 grant

·        Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas; $35,000 grant

·        City of Mountain View; $50,000 grant

California:

·        Northshore Fire Protection District; $78,000 grant

·        Kings Community Action Organization; $34,485 grant

·        Kings Community Action Organization; $37,500 grant

·        Clinicas De Salud Del Pueblo, Inc Mecca Clinic; $21,560 grant

·        Niland Fire District; $15,000 grant

·        United Families Inc. Salton City; $10,650 grant

·        United Families Inc. Westmorland; $10,650 grant

·        Tulare County Redevelopment Agency; $50,000 grant

Colorado:

·        Sedgwick Rural Fire Protection District; $11,088 grant

·        Washington County; $25,000 grant

·        Keefe Memorial Hospital; $25,000 grant

·        Town of Milliken; $25,000 grant

·        Town of Crestone; $25,000 grant

·        Southwest Conservation Corps; $84,000 grant

Connecticut:

·        Town of Sprague; $90,000 grant

Delaware:

·        Bay Shore Community Church; $50,000 grant

Idaho:

·        Friends of MCFPD, Inc.; $539,000 loan

Iowa:

·        Adair County Memorial Hospital; $18,750 grant

·        City of Alta; $100,000 grant

·        Community Hospital, Inc.; $49,000 grant

·        Larrabee Community Fire Association; $6,000 grant

·        Pathways Behavioral Services, Inc.; $41,475 grant

·        City of Volga; $100,000 grant

Kansas:

·        Linn County; $70,000 grant

Louisiana:

·        Town of Lake Providence; $25,038 grant

Maine:

·        Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Reservation; $150,000 grant

Maryland:

·        Town of Luke; $29,452 grant

·        Town of Oakland; $50,000 grant

·        Upper Shore Aging, Inc.; $50,000 grant

Massachusetts:

·        Town of Winchendon; $13,570 grant

Michigan:

·        City of Big Rapids; $1,470,000 loan

·        Beaverton Dam Renovation; $1,000,000 loan

·        Dickinson County; $50,000 grant

·        Human Development Commission; $650,000 loan; $50,000 grant

·        Teaching Family Homes of Upper Michigan, Inc.; $50,000 grant

·        Allouez Township; $5,000 grant

·        Clare County Road Commission; $50,000 grant

·        Keweenaw Bay; $50,000 grant

Mississippi:

·        Town of Sidon; $59,500 grant

·        Calhoun County Board of Supervisors; $3,000,000 loan

·        Mound Bayou Public School District; $55,800 grant

·        Alcorn County Board of Supervisors; $11,499 grant

·        Alcorn County Board of Supervisors; $24,218 grant

·        Bolivar County Board of Supervisors; $59,200 grant

Missouri:

·        City of Lebanon; $59,500 grant

·        City of Fair Play; $33,670 grant

·        Village of Dadeville; $13,750 grant

·        Village of South Greenfield; $9,000 grant

·        Dade County; $14,690 grant

Montana:

·        Hi-Line Retirement Center, Inc.; $3,942,000 loan; $228,000 grant

·        Liberty Place, Inc.; $450,000 loan; $14,000 grant

·        Town of Whitehall; $120,000 loan; $30,000 grant

Nebraska:

·        Community Hospital Association; $17,000,000 loan

New Mexico:

·        Guadalupe County Hospital; $9,400,000 loan

Nevada:

·        Boys & Girls Club of Mason Valley; $46,846 grant

·        Consolidated Agencies of Human Services; $33,052 grant

·        Churchill Association for Retarded Citizens; $15,750 grant

New York:

·        Town of Frankfort; $10,000 grant

·        Vernon Town Hall; $10,000 grant

·        Warrensburg Emergency Medical Service; $143,000 loan; $25,000 grant

North Carolina:

·        Town of Fremont; $56,000 loan; $45,000 grant

·        Town of Elm City; $735,000 loan

·        Warren County National Guard Armory Renovation; $170,000 loan; $30,000 grant

·        Little Swift Creek Volunteer Fire Department; $13,500 grant

·        Town of Jonesville; $8,130 grant

·        Town of Selma; $400,000 loan; $100,000 grant

·        Town of Selma; $550,000 loan; $100,000 grant

·        Red Oak Volunteer Fire Station; $1,900,000 loan

·        Lumbee Regional Development Association, Inc.; $650,000 loan; $100,000 grant

Ohio:

·        Northern Ohio Rural Water; $2,277,000 loan

·        City of Rittman; $77,000 loan; $40,000 grant

Oklahoma:

·        Atoka County EMS; $36,714 grant

·        Hope Medical Clinic Corporation; $6,000 grant

·        City of Antlers; $75,000 grant

·        City of Coalgate; $87,020 grant

·        INCA Community Services, Inc; $42,750 grant

·        Little Dixie Community Action Agency; $41,250 grant

Pennsylvania:

·        Indiana County Community Action Program, Inc.; $185,000 loan

South Carolina:

·        Langley Water, Sewer, and Fire District; $619,000 loan; $105,000 grant

·        Town of Cheraw; $16,500 grant

South Dakota:

·        Red Cloud Indian School, Inc.; $100,000 loan; $100,000 grant

·        Red Cloud Indian School, Inc.; $300,000 loan

Texas:

·        Throckmorton County; $50,000 grant

Utah:

·        Mt. Pleasant City Library; $50,000 grant

Virginia:

·        Town of Lawrenceville; $23,100 grant

·        Craig County - Paint Bank Volunteer Fire Company and Rescue Squad; $2,880 grant

·        Richmond County Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.; $42,000 loan; $50,000 grant

·        Richmond County; $31,500 loan; $38,500 grant

·        Rugby Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department; $50,000 grant

·        Town of Warsaw; $10,800 loan; $13,200 grant

Washington:

·        Pierce County Fire Department; $13,800 grant

West Virginia:

·        Town of Winfield Municipal Building Commission; $2,000,000 loan

·        Travel Beautiful Appalachia, Inc; $250,000 loan; $50,000 grant

·        City of Bluefield Building Commission; $1,000,000 loan

Wisconsin:

·        City of Black River Falls; $5,000,000 loan

Funding of individual recipients is contingent upon their meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement. More information about USDA Rural Development can be found at www.rurdev.usda.gov.

President Obama signed The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law on Feb. 17, 2009. It is designed to jumpstart the nation's economy, create or save millions of jobs and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.

More information about USDA's Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about the Federal government's efforts on the Recovery Act is available at www.recovery.gov.

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