$17.5 million in community facilities projects

by S. C.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the selection of $17.5 million in community facilities projects that are being funded immediately with federal funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that President Obama signed into law in February. Altogether, USDA has announced nearly $252.5 million in Recovery Act funding for community facility projects to date.

"Facilities such as libraries, public buildings and community centers bring vitality to small towns and cities and these Recovery Act investments will benefit people throughout the country," Vilsack said. "The Obama Administration is committed to strengthening communities in rural areas and these investments will help further that goal."

In Pocahontas, Iowa, for example, the Pocahontas Community Hospital will receive a $75,900 loan to purchase a digital mammography machine and additional equipment. The current analog mammography machine produces films which must be hand delivered to a hospital 50 miles away and read by a licensed radiologist. The purchase of the new machine will allow for images to be sent to a licensed radiologist within seconds. The patients will receive the results faster and it will eliminate the need to travel to other facilities to obtain the digital mammogram and potentially save lives.

Meanwhile, in Jacksboro, Tenn., the Campbell County Children's Center will receive a $215,000 loan and a $100,000 grant to construct a new 5,000 sq. ft. facility to serve the needs of young abused victims in Campbell, Claiborne and Union counties. The new facility will provide adequate space for their programs, personnel, parking and privacy for the victims. Campbell and Claiborne counties are both Persistent Poverty counties, Claiborne and Union are both Enterprise Communities and all three counties have unemployment rates above 10%. The children's center would not be able to finance this much needed facility without Rural Development's loan and grant program.

In addition to the $17.5 million that USDA Rural Development is providing to fund the 27 projects announced, recipients will invest $8.2 million from other sources.