Neighbors of Edgefield & Washington Park (NEW)

Mayor Wants to Triple Aid for Neighborhoods

Aug 28, 2008

Mayor wants to triple aid for neighborhoods

Canton Mayor William J. Healy II wants to triple the amount of funding the city contributes to a grant program that helps neighborhood associations.

Healy announced Wednesday that the Stark Community Foundation will receive $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds from the city to help finance the agency's Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program.

The funding would contribute to grants awarded to neighborhood associations in the city for community projects and other expenses, including newsletters, neighborhood cleanups, community gardens, planting trees, a fishing rodeo for children, social events, computer training and festivals.

The $50,000 allocation requires City Council approval, and it would not come from the city's general fund, which supports the police and fire departments and many other services.

The amount is more than three times what the organization has received in each of the past three years, according to a news release from the mayor's office.

The city contributed roughly $15,000 to the neighborhood grant program last year, said Marilyn Thomas Jones, program officer for the foundation.

"If we are going to get serious about improving our neighborhoods, we must give these groups the resources they need to make a difference in the lives of Canton residents," Healy said in the release.

Canton has about 50 neighborhood associations. The foundation offers training and other assistance.

"I think it is a fantastic commitment to neighborhoods," Thomas Jones said of Healy's announcement. "The Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program focuses on infusing residents with a sense of personal responsibility and civic duty by outlining and describing strategies to help make neighborhoods stronger."

"Urban revitalization is more successful if it is led by concerned and motivated citizens," she added.

If approved by council, the $50,000 would be the largest annual grant awarded by the city since the Neighborhood Partnership Grant Program began in 1997. The CDBG funds come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

From 1997 through 2007, the city has awarded $78,432 to the grant program, according to the news release.

Grants range from $500 to $10,000. "There are some fabulous newsletters that keep people informed that (neighborhood associations) do," Thomas Jones said. Other projects and expenses aided by the grants include office supplies, a teen outreach program, academic enrichment for neighborhood children and block parties.

The foundation and JPMorgan Chase also contribute money to the grant program. Last April, a total of $100,000 were awarded to about 20 neighborhood associations. Since 1997, roughly $1 million has been distributed.

"If we want to improve our neighborhoods, we will need everyone's support," Healy said. "With more programs now possible because of these extra funds, there are going to be more opportunities than ever for residents to become involved in the future of our city."


This article was written by Ed Balint and appeared in The Repository 8/28/08