DeKalb GA News

Last night, the Dunwoody City Council unanimously approved grants for 10 local nonprofits to support those who are still struggling with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants total $810,000 in federal funding allocated to Dunwoody as part of the American Rescue Plan.

“Many of these nonprofits are on the front lines daily helping our most vulnerable residents,” said Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch. “The City is not able to provide direct services to residents in need. We appreciate these nonprofits for partnering in this effort and giving us a path to support our community.”

The funding allocations include the following:

• Malachi’s Storehouse - $100,000 – this grant will further Malachi’s mission to address food insecurity by helping pay for food, fuel, and supplies for community members in need. In addition, Malachi’s will use the funding to make long-term infrastructure improvements to increase the efficiency of the operations in support of those in need.
• St. Vincent de Paul - $100,000 – the grant will help provide direct assistance to Dunwoody residents who need help to pay rent, utilities, healthcare, and other household costs.
• I Care Atlanta - $100,000 – this grant will allow for the purchase of long-term capital assets, including a new van and refrigeration equipment, to continue supporting community members facing food insecurity. I Care Atlanta will also use the funding for food, fuel, and other supplies that can be delivered directly or accessed at the nonprofit’s warehouse.
• Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta - $115,000 – this grant will help provide direct assistance on rent, utilities, and other household costs for Dunwoody residents. JF&CS will receive $15,000 as a pass-through grant for Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta.
• Summit Counseling Center - $100,000 – this grant will help cover the cost of mental health services for Dunwoody residents in need. Summit Counseling Center will reduce or eliminate the cost of counseling sessions through its Client Assistance Fund.
• Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb – $100,000 – this grant will provide direct assistance to Dunwoody residents who are facing a housing crisis. Family Promise will use the funds to help cover the cost of a one-week motel stay, one-month rent supplementation, utility payments, car repairs, and other necessities that the families need to be able to remain in independent housing.
• Spruill Center for the Arts - $100,000 – this grant will provide for the expansion of services to community members through the new Arts for Alzheimer’s program, which supports patients with cognitive disorders and their caregivers. Spruill Center for the Arts will also use the funding to provide scholarships for after-school programs, weekend youth programs, and school break camps. In addition, Spruill will establish a Free Community Art Closet, which would make art materials available to all, plus a new program for at-risk teens to learn digital art and design.
• Dunwoody Nature Center - $50,000 – this grant will cover the cost of field trips for disadvantaged youth in the community. Dunwoody Nature Center will also use the funds to offer scholarships for summer camps and other educational opportunities.
• Stage Door Theatre - $20,000 – this grant will allow Stage Door to provide free tickets and vouchers to ensure that underserved community members and those in vulnerable populations, including seniors, have access to the arts. Stage Door will also produce free education matinees, prioritizing Title I schools in Dunwoody.
• Dunwoody Senior Baseball - $25,000 – this grant will provide funding to expand access to recreational baseball for both disadvantaged individuals and teams in the community. Dunwoody Senior Baseball DSB will offer scholarships through the Pat Sadler Memorial Scholarship Program and provide support to the Minority Baseball Prospect Program to encourage minority participation in baseball.

Earlier this year, Dunwoody City Council set aside $2 million in ARP funding for direct assistance to nonprofits. The first disbursement was $200,000 to Corners Outreach for a summer school program to address learning loss. The City still has applications for this program that are being reviewed for a second round of funding.

The nonprofits will receive grant funding in installments. All funding must be expended by December 31, 2023 or returned to the City unless the agreement is extended by City Council. As part of their applications, the nonprofits submitted detailed plans for confirming individual eligibility for need-based programs and committed to giving Dunwoody residents priority in programming.

Original source can be found here.