2002 Annual Report Executive Summary
City of Bowling Green Enterprise Community
The
Bowling Green Enterprise Community conducted two public forums in February,
2002. The meetings produced good discussions and several amendment changes. The
BGEC continues to offer the Youth Development and Child Care Assistance. The
Youth Development program assisted 94 individuals during the calendar year with
a variety of activities, including sports registration fees, enrichment
programs, school field trips and many more. The Child Care program funded 11
applications for temporary assistance with child care. The Indigent Drug
Program, which was implemented in early 2001, assisted 33 individuals with
prescription drug costs. This program is administered through the Bowling Green
Warren County Primary Care Center and is used as a supplement to the drug
program offered by the pharmaceutical companies. The set-aside for school
assistance was also continued. This money is given to all the schools serving
the students of the EC, to be used for emergency needs of the school children.
The program is administered through the Family Resource and Youth Service
Centers at the schools. Three high school seniors were awarded $500 scholarships
for their first year at a post secondary institution. All three students are
attending Western Kentucky University.The EC partnered with WKU and the Rural
Health Department to sponsor a free dental screening and cleaning for residents
of the EC. A third round of NOFA’s was sent out in May. Twenty three grant
applications were submitted and 22 were funded for a total of $178,720.00. The
applications covered eleven different benchmarks. A transportation grant was
awarded to provide free vouchers to social service agencies for their clients to
utilize the local public transportation system. Another transportation grant was
awarded to the Housing Authority to cover the costs of transporting children
from the schools to the after school program at the Learning Center. Education
Grants were issued for a computer lab at one of the EC elementary schools,
partial funding for a Family Literacy program, funding a new program at the Boys
& Girls Club and funding a certified teacher to tutor children at an after
school program. Equal Opportunity Grants were funded for a training
reimbursement program for individuals with disabilities, hosting a baby fair,
funding a literacy program for Hispanics and for a training program for
micro-enterprise development. Youth Development grants were awarded for a youth
leadership training program, to implement a Junior Staff Career Development
Program and assistance for youth care for nighttime educational programs.
Affordable Child Care grants were issued for expansion of child care services
for fall/spring breaks and child care for children of parents attending classes.
A Public Safety grant was awarded to continue the overtime patrol and
neighborhood group development in the EC. Neighborhood Clean-up funded the
development of a Master Plan for the revitalization of an historic
African-American neighborhood. A Public Facilities grant was awarded to replace
a substandard playground at an EC elementary school. The playground is used as a
neighborhood park. Housing Grants were awarded to assist the local homeless
shelter and funded an emergency rent assistance program for EC residents with
disabilities. A Health Care Grant was awarded for the Girls, Inc. to implement a
“Healthy Bones” program. A Create Quality Jobs grant was awarded for the
implementation of a program to assist residents with business plan development
for micro businesses.