FRANKFORT, Ky. (10/25/16) — Gov. Matt Bevin presented Merryman House in Paducah, Kentucky with a $ 500,000 Community Development Block Grant recently approved by the Department for Local Government.
The Delta Regional Authority also awarded an additional grant in the amount of $250,000. Funds will be used to expand the facility from 24 beds to 36, along with building a new commercial kitchen.
“In 1978, one person looked around this community and said: ‘There is a need here that needs to be filled. There’s something that we as a community are not doing to provide for those in abusive situations,’” said Gov. Bevin. “A simple seed put in the ground years ago quickly began to bear fruit, and has continued to grow. With one out of four women exposed to some type of abusive relationship in their life, I’m grateful for what is being done here to give a voice to the voiceless. They stand in the gap between this problem and finding solutions, and we are delighted as a state to come alongside them to help.”
The Merryman House is a private domestic violence shelter accepting victims that have been battered by providing them with a private and secure place to stay. Victims are accepted from McCracken County and the surrounding area.
“The DRA’s motto is to create jobs, build communities and improve lives,” said DRA Federal Chairman Chris Masingill. “This investment into the Merryman House does all of these things and more – it gives shelter and hope to individuals living in the storm of domestic violence. Not only will individuals be able to access a safe space for themselves and their families, they can receive essential wrap-around services, such as mental health and child care programs, that are critical to getting back on their feet. Simply put, this investment will help save lives and I am proud to be an integral part of it.”
Applications for DRA funds, available to a 21 county area of western Kentucky, are submitted to DLG. To learn more, visit https://kydlgweb.ky.gov/FederalGrants/DRA.cfm
Delta Regional Authority funds are used to help economically-distressed communities leverage other federal, state and local dollars for community development projects that focus on infrastructure development, business development/entrepreneurship and job training services.
Applications for CDBG funds are also submitted to DLG. To learn more, visit https://kydlgweb.ky.gov/FederalGrants/CDBG_cities.cfm.
The CDBG program provides assistance to communities for use in revitalizing neighborhoods, expanding affordable housing and economic opportunities, providing infrastructure and/or improving community facilities and services.