Washtenaw County, MI – At their meeting last Wednesday, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners passed the first vote to award $3.2M to organizations who submitted proposals through the American Rescue Plan Act Funded (ARPA) Community Priority Fund (CPF). Proposals fall under the Addressing Housing and Homelessness and Expanding Access to Childcare categories of the fund. The organizations who are being considered for funding were recommended by a commissioner-appointed, Community Review Body and the County Administrator.
“The CPF represents such an impactful opportunity for organizations who have worked diligently throughout the pandemic and since.”, said Commissioner Justin Hodge, Working Session Chair, “While some of these agencies have been around for a while, most haven’t done business with us before, so we are absolutely expanding our ecosystem of service providers and supporting crucial work for our residents in community.”
The Community Priority Fund was created by the Board of Commissioners in March of this year using ARPA dollars. The CPF is designed to provide funding and support to organizations that have been negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and are working in historically under-resourced areas of Washtenaw. It is also intended to expand the County’s ecosystem of providers by creating opportunities for organizations who have not historically contracted with Washtenaw County. All organizations approved for funding will also receive technical assistance to meet the rigorous data evaluation and reporting guidelines ties to ARPA dollars.
Foundations Preschool ($20,000) – Founded in 1934, and formerly known as Perry Nursery School, approximately 70% of school’s population resides in the 48197/98 zip code area and other low opportunity areas of Washtenaw County. Over 97% of families are from low-income households.
Bottles and Backpacks Child Development Center, Inc. ($600,000) – Bottles-N-Backpacks Child Development Center, Inc. (BNB) is the largest African- American owned and operated early childhood education center in Washtenaw County. As a family-owned business, the co-owners have successfully operated within the early childhood development sector for over 17-years across Southeastern Michigan. During that time BNB has served and cared for more than 700 families in the Ypsilanti area since 2008. As BNB is rooted in the community, we believe that deep, long-term engagement with families in Ypsilanti are vital to supporting children’s growth and development. Just as the center is located in the city of Ypsilanti, more than 90% of
BNB’s staff and families live in those same zip codes (48197 and 48198).
Child Care Network ($1,180,000)- Established in 1971, Child Care Network (CCN) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the success of children, families and our community through quality childcare education, advocacy, and family support. CCN has served the community by helping families find care, helping families pay for care, and helping early learning professionals provide quality childcare.
Huron Valley PACE ($278,181)- Huron Valley PACE, in Ypsilanti Township, MI, serves older adults aged 55 or older who have ongoing healthcare needs and live within their service area. PACE provides all the care and services covered by Medicare and Medicaid, as well as additional care and services regarded as necessary by the interdisciplinary team. PACE provides coverage for primary and specialty care, prescription drugs, medical transportation, hospital visits, dental care, medical equipment, home care, as well as physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and other services. Their mission is to partner with aging community members to provide integrative care and promote successful community living.
Life After Incarceration: Transition and Reentry ($142, 000)- Life After Incarceration: Transition and Reentry is an occupational therapy program that provides life skill and habit-building opportunities to justice-involved individuals and underserved communities to increase the equity in the county and in the justice system overall.
The House by the Side of the Road ($75,000) – The House by the Side of the Road provides free clothing, linens, and small household items for children and adults in need (i.e., people with disabilities, single parents, former prisoners, immigrants, and veterans) due to poverty, fire, flood, homelessness, prolonged illness, or job loss. These items are free to clients who have limited funds for household essentials, regardless of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, or size. In 2021, they served 2097 families, more than half of whom live in 48197 and 48198.
Michigan Itinerant Shelter System Interdependent Out of Necessity (MISSION) ($55,900)- For nine years, M.I.S.S.I.O.N has provided direct support to the houseless community in Washtenaw County utilizing extremely limited resources. They provide warm meals, winter clothing, boots, hygiene & personal care supplies, hand warmers, and other donated items as well as daytime sheltering to unhoused individuals and families. During this past season (December through late March), they served over 400 unique members of the community, most of whom repeatedly utilized the services.
2Marines ($22,000) – 2Marines mission is to be there for veterans and their families in the 48197/48198 zip codes by providing interventional programs in their time of need. Their goal is to empower veterans through holistic programming and real-world understanding of their situations and needs. They work closely work with the Veterans Affairs (on their behalf of veterans) to access crucial veterans’ benefits that will aid in providing daily living necessities.
Dawn Farm ($21,040.20) – Since 1973, Dawn Farm has met community’s needs with compassion, creativity, and hope. They offer a place where addicts and alcoholics can go for help, regardless of their drug of choice or ability to pay for treatment. They offer a continuum of long-term treatment services to help people achieve long-term recovery. This continuum includes residential treatment, transitional housing, outpatient care, sub-acute detoxification, and a range of active outreach programs. Most importantly, Dawn Farm helps people with addictions last long after they have completed treatment.
Community Family Life Center ($676,582.80) – Community Family Life Center (CFLC) is a neighborhood-based, non-profit organization that serves as a hub for the Sugarbrook Neighborhood and the greater Ypsilanti area. CFLC’s mission is to serve individuals, youth and their families with programming focused on social, educational, physical, and economic well-being.
Family Empowerment Program ($129,296) – The Family Empowerment Program (FEP) supports individuals and families through resource navigation and community building to foster self-sufficiency and enhance quality of life. The program is housed at Eastern Michigan University and coordinated by on-site social workers is a key point for social, health and economic access, education support and community navigation. FEP serves families living in all Ypsilanti Housing Commission (YHC) communities. Through partnerships and programming, the FEP has developed social services program whose purpose is substantially improve the educational, health and economic outcomes for 900 + individuals currently living in YHC communities.
“We expect that the Board’s investment in this way will be transformational,” said Alize Asberry Payne, Racial Equity Officer, “The Community Priority Fund is really a demonstration of the spirit of the federal ARPA dollars. These resources are going to communities where disparities are most evident and supporting organizations who have been doing some of the most challenging work.”
On October 19, 2022 at 7:00pm, the Board of Commissioners will consider the final vote on the Community Priority Fund (CPF) award recommendations in the Housing and Homelessness and Addressing Educational Disparities categories. We invite you to attend! You may participate in person in the boardroom at 220 N. Main St. or virtually by using the following Zoon information:
Remote Participation via Zoom: https://washtenaw.me/BOCZoom
Remote Participate via Phone: dial 1 (312) 626-6799 Webinar ID: 860 0810 5839, Passcode: 500953
