Pierce County Community Action awarded $3.9 million in stimulus funds

Friday Aug 28 2009 3:23 PM

Photo caption: Weatherization Technicians Eric Seeman and Doug Means perform a blower door test to determine air leakage in the house.

The most vulnerable populations in our county will soon benefit from $3.9 million in stimulus funds.

Pierce County Community Action, a division of the Department of Community Services, recently received a $723,247 Community Service Block Grant to:

- Add vision and dental resources and services for parents of children enrolled in Community Actions' early childhood programs.

- Expand individualized parenting education

- Increase transportation for the countywide Adult Day Health Program

- Complement transportation in Key Peninsula

- Increase employment training and support for Public Assistance recipients, and

-Expand English as a Second Language classes as part of their bi-lingual services.

Community Action also received $3,148,473 in low income Weatherization Recovery Funding to weatherize an additional 600 homes.

"I am grateful for the $3.9 million which will provide valuable resources for our children, our elderly and low income families in Pierce County. It's a good example of stimulus dollars at work helping people find jobs, weatherize their homes and improve their lives," said Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy.

"These dollars give us new opportunities to provide service to the county's most vulnerable residents and create new partnerships with local organizations to spread the benefit," said Cindy Gorgas, manager of Community Action.

Community Action currently employs 60 people and has sites at nine locations throughout Pierce County.

Community Action agencies are a national network of organizations, created at the federal level in 1964 under President Johnson's War on Poverty. There are 31 Community Action agencies in Washington State. Most are private non- profit 501(c) ? 3 entities. Pierce County is one of five Public Community Action agencies in Washington operated through a local government.

CONTACT: Cindy Gorgas, Community Action manager, Department of Community Services, at 253- 798-2714; or Carol Mockridge, communications specialist, at 253-798-6228.