$19.5 million in recovery funds approved for tennessee

needy seniors and families to receive help through community services block grant

published: July 28 2009 02:52 PM updated:: July 28 2009 02:56 PM

Governor Phil Bredesen today announced the approval of $19.5 million in federal stimulus funding for Tennessee to help low income citizens weather these tough economic times. The funds are made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. The funds will flow through the Tennessee Department of Human Services and on to the 20 community action and human resource agencies across the state and are targeted at low-income seniors, individuals with disabilities and families with very small children.
“Community Services Block Grant funds are a lifeline to our most vulnerable citizens,” said Governor Bredesen. “The additional dollars will help more families take care of the basics: putting food on the table, making this month’s rent or mortgage payment, or even buying diapers and baby formula for their children.”
The goal of the CSBG program is to provide services to eligible low-income individuals and families to improve the communities in which they live. A family or individual must be living at or below 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (that’s $27,562/year for a family of four). CSBG agencies will focus on five areas for their ARRA funding: nutrition (particularly food banks), employment, housing, health, and emergency services.
“DHS sees effects of this troubled economy every day, in every corner of the state,” said DHS Commissioner Gina Lodge. “The number of individuals and families applying for public assistance programs has risen greatly over the past year. We are so pleased that more help for vital services will be made available through the Recovery program and our local CSBG agencies.”
The CSBG Recovery Act provides $1 billion in federal funds to be distributed nationally. Tennessee’s share is $19.5 million.   A breakdown by agency can be found on the following pages.
For more information on Tennessee’s Recovery efforts, visit: www.tnrecovery.gov .
For more information on the Recovery projects at DHS, visit : www.tn.gov/humanserv

BLOUNT COUNTY COMMUNITY $303,359
ACTION AGENCY
3509 Tuckaleechee Pike
Maryville, Tennessee 37703
(865)983-8411
Serving Blount County
www.blountcaa.org
DOUGLAS CHEROKEE ECONOMIC AUTHORITY $1,023,895
534 East First North Street
Morristown, TN 37816
(423) 587-4500
Serving: Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson,
Monroe & Sevier Counties
www.ethra.org

KNOXVILLE-KNOX COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION COMMITTEE $1,191,749
2247 Western Avenue, PO Box 51650
Knoxville, Tennessee 37950-1650
(865) 637-6700
Serving Knox County
www.knoxcac.org

MOUNTAIN VALLEY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AUTHORITY/ETHRA $612,582
9111 Cross Park Drive, Suite D-100
Knoxville, TN 37923
(865)691-2551
Serving Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, Scott & Union Counties
http://www.ethra.org/