Millions in stimulus funds for Tennessee seniors, families on The Murfreesboro Post

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Millions in stimulus funds for Tennessee seniors, families

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Posted: Tuesday, July 28, 2009 3:07 pm

NASHVILLE — Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Tuesday afternoon 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, including more than $1.4 million for the Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency that covers Rutherford County, 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,” Bredesen said. “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,” DHS Commissioner Gina Lodge said. “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.

Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency can be contacted by mail at 233 Legend Drive, Suite 103, P. O. Box 310 Lebanon, Tennessee 37088-0310, by phone (615) 742-1113 or 1137, or on the Web at www.mid-cumberlandcaa.com.

Tagged under Economy, Mid-Cumberland Community Action Agency, Phil Bredesen, State, Stimulus

Member Opinions:

By: CharleyFire on 7/28/09
It's great news for money to be available for disabled people but what's the catch & how many forms need be filled in to even try to qualify? History shows the only ones who get money are the Administators and "Insiders"! Send Me some more information on registering into this program and attempting to finally get some financial aid.

By: Boo on 7/29/09
Charley- It would be great news if only the ones who need it and deserve it would get it. Unfortunately, that won't happen. It will go to a family member of mine, and others like her, who sit on their a$% and have babies. (She's up to four now). And, she leaves these babies with any family member who is willing to take them for the day, while she rips up and down the roads and spends the welfare checks on herself. Two of these children spend 90% of their time with their elderly grandmother, so she shouldn't even be getting welfare for those two. Whatever happened to the rule that you had to go to school if you were on assistance, so you could get a job and get off welfare? I would also like more information about this windfall, and how much red tape will the deserving ones have to go through to get it. Excuse me while I go beg my husband for one of his blood pressure pills!

By: barrettbear on 8/2/09
Boo, that type of behaviour happens because that type of behaviour is allowed to go on.

By: Boo on 8/3/09
Bear- you're right about that, but my question is: why does the government keep using mine and your tax dollars to pay her to sit on her butt and have babies?

By: barrettbear on 8/3/09
Because we allow it to. Call DCS, a lawyer and get custody of the children. The first thing she is doing wrong and is a winner for you: leaving her children with anyone. If you are taking care of them, do it the legal way. The money that is supposed to be for them, will actually be used for them.

By: barrettbear on 8/4/09
In other words, get custody of the children. you will receive their checks and can provide for them all of the time. For her, she can rip and romp. That is if she has her own money.