Agricultural News
Oklahomans Receive Support From USDA to Create Jobs, Improve Health and Safety in Rural America
Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:13:11 CDT
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced support for projects to create jobs and improve the quality of life in rural communities in 31 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Four projects in Oklahoma were selected to receive grants for projects across the state. The projects focus mostly on childcare facility improvement and accessibility. The grant money for Oklahoma totals almost $140,000.
Secretary Vilsack made the announcement as part of the Obama Administration's week-long focus on the rural economy and the White House Rural Council, which is addressing key areas of need in rural America including helping rural small businesses access capital, expanding rural job search and training services, and increasing rural access to health care workers and technology.
"The funding we are announcing today will help rural communities remain attractive places for job creation and business expansion," Vilsack said. "The Obama administration and USDA are committed to ensuring that rural communities remain economically competitive by offering residents access to quality health care services, modern library facilities and school buildings, and reliable emergency equipment and services.
Financing totaling nearly $55 million in loans and grants will support 107 projects through USDA Rural Development's Community Facilities Program. Eligible projects include essential community facilities for public use in rural areas such as fire protection, safety, health care, education and other community needs.
For example, in Rotan, Texas, the Fisher County Hospital District was selected to receive a $42,000 loan and a $35,000 grant to renovate patient rooms and offices at the hospital. The hospital serves more than 4,300 people. The funds will also be used to install a new electronic medical records system to better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information, known as health information technology. A Memorandum of Understanding was recently executed between USDA Rural Development and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve collaboration and to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure in rural communities.
In Shepherd, Mich., Greendale Township was selected to receive a $438,000 loan to buy a school building and convert it into a town hall and a public safety building. When complete, the renovated structure will increase meeting capacity for civic functions and also house an emergency response vehicle.
A complete list of community facilities projects that were selected for funding is below. Funding for each project is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan, grant or loan/grant agreement.
Today's announcement is an example of investments the Obama Administration is making to help create jobs and grow the rural economy. In June, President Obama signed an Executive Order establishing the first White House Rural Council, chaired by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The White House Rural Council will work throughout government to create policies to promote economic prosperity and a high quality of life in our rural communities.
On Tuesday, President Obama hosted the White House Rural Economic Forum at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, Iowa. The Forum brought together farmers, small business owners, private sector leaders, rural organizations, and government officials to discuss ideas and initiatives to promote economic growth, accelerate hiring, and spur innovation in rural communities nationwide. The President engaged directly with a variety of rural leaders from across the nation to discuss the importance of growing small businesses and strengthening the middle class in rural America.
Since taking office, President Obama's Administration has taken significant steps to improve the lives of rural Americans and has provided broad support for rural communities. The Obama Administration has set goals of modernizing infrastructure by providing broadband access to 10 million Americans, expanding educational opportunities for students in rural areas, and providing affordable health care. In the long term, these unparalleled rural investments will help ensure that America's rural communities are repopulating, self-sustaining and thriving economically.
USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.
Alaska
Sheldon Jackson Child Care Center, Inc To purchase equipment; $17,287 grant
Arkansas
Phillips County Development Center To construct a child care center; $250,000 loan; $50,000 grant
City of Foreman To purchase early warning sirens and radio equipment for the fire department; $24,000 grant
City of Augusta To purchase police cars and equipment; $46,000 grant
Woodruff County to purchase sheriff department vehicles and equipment; $31,000 grant
Corning Area Healthcare, Inc To construct a community medical center; $1,350,000 loan
California
The Children & Families Commission of Fresno County To purchase preschool equipment; $35,000 grant
Lake County To construct a library and senior center; $50,000 grant
Lindsay Unified School District To remodel health start building; $40,500 grant
Colorado
Huerfano RE - 1 School District To pour a concrete slab for the bleachers at the Community Sports Complex; $25,000 grant
Yuma Hospital District To construct a canopy wall at the emergency room entrance to protect arriving patients; $15,000 grant
Delaware
Aerospace Education Foundation To purchase and install a geothermal system; $50,000 grant
Georgia
City of Butler To purchase a patrol car; $12,210 loan; $12,210 grant
City of Buena Vista To purchase two patrol cars; $15,000 loan; $35,000 grant
Iowa
Appanoose County Daycare, Inc. To purchase a van and related equipment; $17,600 grant
East Union Community School District To purchase childcare equipment; $10,365 grant
Bancroft Cay Care To purchase childcare equipment and furnishings; $8,544 grant
Corning Community School District To purchase playground and equipment; $10,500 grant
Ringgold County Hospital To purchase information technology equipment; $50,000 grant
The Presbyterian Village To renovate a care center and nine units of an assisted living facility; $3,000,000 loan
Illinois
Village of Galatia To purchase and install a storm siren system; $15,750 grant
Village of Palestine To complete the unfinished interior of a facility built to house the Farmer's Market and a community center; $30,750 grant
Indian Grave Drainage District To construct an additional excess flow pump station with two submersible; $2,570,000 loan
Southern Seven Health Department To purchase a building to be renovated and used as a health clinic; $500,000 loan
Kansas
Prairie Sunset Home Inc To renovate and expand a nursing home; $1,650,000 guaranteed loan; $1,650,000 direct loan
Kentucky
City of Vanceburg To purchase two police vehicles; $39,000 grant
City of Jenkins To purchase a four wheel drive police vehicle; $34,876 grant
Jackson County Fiscal Court To purchase two jail transport vehicles; $30,350 grant
Owsley County Fiscal Court To purchase a police emergency vehicle; $32,307
Leslie County Fiscal Court To purchase two four wheel drive Sheriff Department vehicles; $50,000 grant
Estill County Ambulance Taxing District To purchase an ambulance; $50,000 grant
Caldwell County Public Health Taxing District To construct a facility; $616,000 loan
Massachusetts
Outer Cape Health Services To pay for renovations; $311,580 loan
Town of Templeton To purchase land and construct a municipal building complex; $1,900,000 loan
Maine
The LifeFlight Foundation To construct an automated weather observing system; $10,500 grant
Michigan
Houghton Lake Community Schools To expand the daycare facility; $50,000 grant
Portage Township To replace the roof and electrical system in the learning center; $50,000 grant
Creative Beginning Child Development To purchase playground equipment; $12,000 grant
Monroe County Opportunity Program To construct a food pantry $1,120,000 loan
Greendale Township To renovate an elementary school building and convert it into a town hall and public safety building; $438,000 loan
Joint Walkerville Area Fire and Rescue Authority To purchase a self-contained breathing apparatus and replace the current wildfire/grass fire quick response unit for the fire department; $250,000 loan; $15,000 grant
Village of Howard City To purchase a grass rig that will be used as first line fire suppression unit for the Howard City Fire Department; $49,000 loan
Minnesota
City of Hector To purchase a grass fire fighting rig and equipment along with jaws of life equipment; $75,000 loan; $34,000 grant
City of Kennedy To purchase a vehicle for emergency response; $59,000 loan; $31,000 grant
Good Shepherd Lutheran Services To install a sprinkler system; $693,000 loan
Missouri
City of Gideon To purchase a police vehicle; $18,550 grant
City of Charleston To purchase and equip two (2) police vehicles; $46,800 grant
City of Doniphan To purchase police vehicles; $20,200 grant
City of Hayti To purchase a police vehicle; $22,500 grant
East Prairie Nutrition Center To purchase a delivery van; $12,000 grant
East Prairie Nutrition Center To purchase additional oven for meal preparation; $4,500 grant
Senior Citizens Nursing Home District of Ray County To construct a 30-bed assisted living facility; $3,000,000 loan
Southeast Missouri Food Bank To purchase and renovate a building for warehouse and offices of a regional food bank; $900,000 loan
Mississippi
Holmes County Board of Supervisors To purchase two patrol vehicles; $39,900 grant
Holmes County Board of Supervisors (2) To purchase two patrol vehicles; $40,300 grant
Noxubee County Board of Supervisors To construct a new jail; $2,509,000 loan
Montana
Boys and Girls Club of the Northern Cheyenne Reservation To renovate and upgrade a building by replacing the heating system and adding additional insulation; $133,300 grant
Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Corporation To replace old, second-hand boilers; resolve temperature control issues in laboratory, relocate the primary care physicians, and enclose the current receiving area and install a lift for supplies; $5,300,000 loan
North Dakota
Pierce County Install an elevator and remodel a bathroom in a county/city library to meet requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA); $99,463 loan; $39,325 grant
Nebraska
Brady Development Corporation To add an addition to a medical clinic; $45,000 loan
Palisade Rural Fire District To construct a fire hall; $333,000 loan
The Auburn Memorial Library Foundation, Inc To add expand an existing library; $100,000 loan;$56,590 grant
Keith County Area Development, Inc To construct a public library; $2,300,000 loan
New Hampshire
Tamworth Pre-School, Inc. To make energy efficiency improvements; $10,500 grant
Tiny Twisters Child Care Center To purchase furniture, appliances and playground equipment; $27,500 grant
New Mexico
Truchas Services Center Inc To purchase pre-school equipment and make playground upgrades; $7,125 grant
Nevada
Wells Family Resource Center To replace flooring in a child care facility; $4,179 grant
New York
Sullivan County Head Start, Inc. To install a heating and cooling system; $27,300 grant
Mercy Flight, Inc. To purchase a rescue helicopter; $1,000,000 loan
Mercy Flight, Inc. (Olean) To purchase and retrofit a used Bell helicopter to provide air emergency rescue service to residents in Allegany & Cattaraugus County; $1,650,000 loan
Oklahoma
INCA Community Services, Inc. To purchase child care equipment; $32,210 grant
Little Dixie Community Action Agency/Swink Head Start To purchase playground equipment; $50,000 grant
INCA Community Services, Inc./Atoka #1 Head Start To convert an information area into a fitness room for children; $38,380 grant
Little Dixie Community Action Agency To make accessibility improvements; $18,504 grant
Pennsylvania
Coal Country Hangout To replace the roof and make the facility ADA-compliant; $50,000 grant
Highlands Hospital To develop an autism center; $450,000 loan; $50,000 grant
White Haven Fire Company No. 1 To construct a fire station; $735,000 loan
Hughestown Hose Company To purchase a fire truck; $265,000 loan
Puerto Rico
ABC Infantil, Inc. To acquire a playground and school bus for the child care center; $52,500 grant
Hogar Ruth, Inc. To acquire a playground; $45,763 grant
South Dakota
West River Transit Authority To purchase daycare equipment; $20,000 loan and $40,000 grant
Texas
City of Anson To purchase an electronic medical records system; $5,840 loan and $17,490 grant
City of La Joya To renovate a municipal building; $3,482,000 loan and $35,000 grant
City of Raymondville To construct a police station; $1,465,000 loan and $35,000 grant
Fisher County Hospital District To purchase an electronic medical records system; $42,000 loan and $35,000 grant
Maverick County To purchase patrol vehicles; $246,000 loan and $50,000 grant
Bremond Historical Society To install a heating and cooling unit, update the electrical system, and complete floors; $12,200 grant
City of La Feria To expand the fire station and construct a sub-station; $1,015,000 loan and $35,000 grant
Coleman County Hospital District To purchase an electronic medical records system; $25,000 grant
Willacy County To renovate the administration building; $1,060,000 loan and $35,000 grant
Utah
Maria Montessori Academy To purchase a school building; $2,604,000 direct loan and $4,866,000 guaranteed loan
Virginia
Rural Family Development To purchase computers and equipment for the Head Start program; $50,000 grant
Kids Central, Inc To purchase two buses and equipment for the Head Start program; $50,000 loan and $50,000 grant
Step, Inc To purchase vans and equipment for the Head Start program; $50,000 grant
Rooftop of Virginia CAP, Inc. To purchase equipment for the Head Start equipment; $17,380 grant
Alleghany Highlands YMCA To purchase equipment for the child day care program; $47,000 grant
Town of Mineral To construct a town hall; $743,800 loan
Shenandoah County Free Clinic To purchase and remodel a building to be used as a dental clinic; $752,700 loan
Grottoes VFD To make modifications to the fire station; $327,000 loan
Hiltons VFD To purchase a fire truck and equipment; $185,000 loan; $25,000 grant
Oak Level VFA To purchase a first responders truck; $45,000 loan; $18,200 grant
Vermont
Rutland County Parent Child Center To renovate and make accessibility and energy-efficiency enhancements to the building; $17,700 grant
Village of Orleans, Inc. To replace an old steam heating system with a new, energy efficient one; $33,000 grant
West Virginia
Concord University Board of Directors To make improvements to a child care facility; $110,000 loan and $50,000 grant
McDowell County Commission To purchase a vehicle for the sheriff's office; $17,000 grant
City of Rupert (Rupert Community Public Library) To renovate a former store into a library; $50,000 grant
Town of Addison (Webster Springs) To replace a multi-purpose pavilion; $50,000 grant
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