Two more groups of organizations vying for federal money set aside to help low- to moderate-income residents pitch their projects next week to Haverhill’s Community Affairs Advisory Board.
Roughly $150,000 will be split among the 28 proposals. The pot is drawn from around 15% of the federal Community Development Block Grant devoted to “public services,” according to Economic Development and Planning Director William Pillsbury Jr. With most requests falling between $5,000 and $25,000, leaders proposed initiatives to provide food access, new clothes, rental assistance, job training, school support, money for utilities, shelter, financial literacy training and substance abuse counseling.
The rest of the federal money, which totals around $1 million, goes primarily toward “neighborhood stabilization,” including housing rehabilitation and code enforcement, Pillsbury said. In a Jan. 22 letter sent out to possible applicants, Mayor Melinda E. Barrett explained grants issued for public services are “not intended for capital purposes,” rather to create programming.
Hearings took place April 3, 4 and 9 and the next ones are set for Tuesday, April 16, and Thursday, April 18.
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides the grant, mandates the process of awarding money be open and public. Pillsbury told WHAV the city is always working to improve transparency.
During the April 16 meeting, the advisory board will hear proposals from Community Action requesting $10,000 and $20,000; Emmaus, $25,000; the Surrender Room, $5,000; Leaving the Streets Ministry, $20,000; and the Salvation Army, $40,000. On April 18, it will hear Open Hearts Ministries requesting $8,000; Ruth’s House, $12,000; YWCA Northeastern Massachusetts, $10,000; Bethany Community Services, $10,000; Haverhill Downtown Boxing, $20,000; and Rebuilding Together Greater Haverhill, $25,000.
In one odd case, Wee Care Learning Center asked for $408,000, a request exceeding the size of the entire grant, for a program purported to “provide personalized business support and critical technical assistance to childcare providers operating in-home daycares.” The agency, based in Florida, appeared on the April 9 agenda.
Of all the applicants, Rebuilding Together Greater Haverhill received the largest grant, totaling $40,000, last year. Barrett said money this year would be made available no sooner than July 1, and “more likely” after Sept. 1, given delays at the federal level.
Advisory board members include Chairman Sharon Sullivan and members Anne Vlack, Sheila Callahan, William Lapierre, Marlene Grant, Hartell Johnson, Nomsa Ncube and Juliet Sithole-Berk.
Though Pillsbury acknowledged the mayor has the legal authority to ignore the advisory board’s recommendation, he said mayors followed its advice “every year I can remember.”
The full list of requests, including amounts awarded in a prior year, appears below.
| Organization Name | Amount requested | Previous funding (assumed 23-24 unless specified) |
|---|---|---|
| WeeCare (DBA Upwards) | $408,000 | $0 |
| The Salvation Army | $40,000 | $15,000 |
| Pregnancy Care Center of the Merrimack Valley | $30,000 | $5,000 |
| Rebuilding Together Greater Haverhill | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| Emmaus | $25,000 | $10,000 |
| St. James Conference of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul | $25,000 | $12,000 |
| Sarah’s Place Adult Day Health Center | $24,000 | $14,000 |
| Leaving The Streets Ministry | $20,000 | $0 |
| Haverhill Downtown Boxing | $20,000 | $0 |
| Community Action | $20,000 | $12,000 |
| Common Ground Ministries | $16,500 | $0 |
| Veterans Northeast Outreach Center | $15,000 | $0 |
| Haverhill YMCA | $12,000 | $5,000 |
| Ruth’s House | $12,000 | $3,660 (22-23) |
| Somebody Cares New England | $10,191 | $6,000 |
| Bethany Community Services | $10,000 | $0 |
| Haverhill YWCA | $10,000 | $6,000 |
| St. James and St. John the Baptist Parishes | $10,000 | $8,000 |
| Community Action | $10,000 | $9,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill | $10,000 | $5,000 |
| UTEC | $10,000 | $5,000 |
| Open Hearts Ministries | $8,000 | $5,000 |
| Mount Washington Family Assistance | $7,500 | $6,000 |
| Holy Apostles Greek Church | $7,000 | $4,000 |
| All Saints Food Pantry | $6,656 | $4,000 |
| Somebody Cares New England | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Haverhill Inner City Boxing and Youth Development | $6,000 | $0 |
| The Surrender Room (formerly Ray of Light) | $5,000 | $0 |