Cicilline Says Community Grants Are 'Under Attack'

On Wednesday, Congressman Cicilline attended a National Community Development Week event at the where Mayor Rogers presented him with a Certificate of Appreciation for his continued support of the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), according to a press release.

The event was held in the B&G Club’s new gymnasium funded in part with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. Congressman Cicilline stated that the CDBG program is under attack by those that don’t understand its value to a community like East Providence and others across the nation, reads the release.

There were three beneficiaries of the program that “told their stories” of how their lives were affected by this program and what it would mean if the funds were cut. One was a father of four daughters, three that use the pre and after school care activities provided by the B&G Club so that he and his wife can both keep their jobs versus one of them having to stay home to look after their younger daughter. He explained the ripple affect if they could not access this program. They cannot afford the higher daycare costs so one of them would have to leave their job to look after their children. He went on to explain that if only one of them could work they could not keep their house, reads the release.

Another beneficiary was an owner of a newly acquired and renovated restaurant which used the funds to purchase and install $95,000 of kitchen equipment. These funds helped to leverage other financing so that the deal could go through. Now instead of a vacant building, there is a new restaurant that employs between 15 and 20 people, 10 of which are full time, reads the release.

Lastly, a man that lives in supportive housing and receives mental health services spoke from the heart about the importance of being able to continue to live where he is and invited the audience to visit it to see how nice it was.

The Boys & Girls Club Board were also in attendance and received a Proclamation given by Mayor Rogers on behalf of the City Council that the week of April 9 was CDBG Week in East Providence as part of the National Community Development Association’s National CDBG Week. The proclamation further requests the Congress and the Administration to recognize the critical work that this program funds and for them to support the program by increasing its funding in the next fiscal year, reads the release.