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Hartford, City Agencies Earn Grants

STEVEN GOODE

December 16, 2009

HARTFORD — - The city of Hartford and nearly a dozen local organizations have received more than $6 million in federal grants, part of a $19 million package of grants for projects statewide.

The grants, approved in appropriations bills collected into the Combined Appropriations Act, passed the Senate on Sunday and were announced by Sens. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Leiberman Tuesday.

Hartford will receive $1 million for the public safety complex now under construction on High Street. It also will receive $500,000 for the demolition and reconstruction of an undisclosed housing project and $300,000 for a truancy reduction program.

"These are big deals because they speak to the city's priorities of education, families and youth," Mayor Eddie A. Perez said Tuesday. He thanked Lieberman, Dodd and U.S. Rep. John Larson for their efforts on behalf of Hartford in tough economic times.

City residents also will benefit from grants to service agencies, including $600,000 for the Hartford Boys and Girls Clubs for renovation and expansion; $525,000 to the Klingberg Family Centers for child abuse prevention and intervention services; $500,000 to the Mercy Housing and Shelter Corp. for renovation of a shelter for the homeless; and $300,000 each to Capital Workforce Partners and Hartford Behavioral Health for youth initiatives.

The Governor's Prevention Partnership received $550,000 for an at-risk youth prevention initiative; Our Piece of the Pie and Hartford's public schools got $275,000 for work force readiness and job placement services; and the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts got $100,000 for an art education program.

The Connecticut Childrens' Medical Center and Hartford Hospital each received $325,000 to create new facilities, CCMC for treating cancer and related blood disorders, and Hartford Hospital for treating stroke and vascular diseases. The University of Connecticut received $365,000 to create a center the study of energy and environmental law.