Washington, DC -- December 18 -- The US Department of Agriculture's Rural Development mission area will guarantee a $850,000 loan made to the South Shore Community Action Council, Inc (SSCAC) to help purchase a multipurpose education/nutrition facility, USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Jill Long Thompson announced today. USDA Rural Development administers a number of programs designed to strengthen rural economies and expand infrastructure in rural areas.
The funds, which will be guaranteed through Plymouth Savings Bank, will help SSCAC purchase the $1.5 million facility, which they are currently renting. The USDA funding will be in participation with a $350,000 grant from Health & Human Services, as well as an additional $300,000 of private financing. Occupant ownership will allow the organization to direct more resources into providing quality programs. Programs presently offered at the facility are: a Head Start program, a program for Teen Parents, a Child/Daycare program, a Feeding program, and a GED program. SSCAC assist primarily low income residents in 44 communities, and provides these services to over 9,000 households annually.
"USDA and the Clinton-Gore Administration are committed to providing rural residents with access to essential community services," Long Thompson said. "Every citizen, rural or urban, deserves access to facilities and programs such as the ones offered by SSCAC." "I am pleased that USDA can contribute in this manner."
"Through this funding, we are helping SSCAC continue to meet the needs of the rural residents of Plymouth County," said Massachusetts Rural Development State Director, Bill Bradley. "Buildings such as these house programs that provide more than just the services they house, they build a sense of communities and enrich the lives of everyone in the vicinity."
Through its Community Facilities Program, Rural Development's Rural Housing Service is striving to ensure that facilities - such as health care clinics, police and fire stations, schools and child care centers - are readily available to all rural Americans. The commitment of USDA to this effort is at the core of its mission and its promise to help build stronger, more vibrant rural communities across the nation.
Contacts:
Clark Ray, (202) 720-5579
Massachusetts Rural Development Sate Director Bill Bradley, (413) 253-4300