AHANA’s Board of Directors received great news last week regarding the funding of their non-profit organization from an American Rescue Plan grant issued by Spokane County.
The Spokane County commissioners voted to split $2.3 million in federal stimulus funds among six nonprofits seeking to help at-risk youth and families overcome a variety of hardships. In addition, Commissioners Al French, Mary Kuney and Josh Kerns awarded about $2.3 million to three service providers in the public health category of American Rescue Plan funds. That brings total allocations to date of $42.2 million from $101 million received by the county last year, according to Jeff McMorris, community engagement and policy advisor. (RaeLynn Ricarte, 2022)
These nonprofits were given the green light on Oct. 4 to receive ARP funds:
- The Ronald McDonald House was awarded $37,500 to install a new HVAC system and make other capital improvements. For 35 years, this charity has provided Inland Northwest families with a home-away-from-home when their ill children are receiving medical services at Shriner’s Hospital and other medical facilities.
- Spokane Meals on Wheels was awarded $134,000 to help cover inflationary food costs of senior lunches.
- United Family Services was the recipient of $351,385 to improve its playground for children with disabilities and other capital projects. This organization assists families and youth in crisis, as well as children in the foster care system.
- Pioneer Human Services was granted $300,000 to replace the roof on its Spokane facility. The nonprofit headquartered in Seattle with a local affiliate helps formerly incarcerated people reintegrate back into society.
- Camp Fire Inland Northwest was given $210,700 to plan and execute after-school programs in youth development, with a special emphasis on diversity and inclusion.
- AHANA received $1 million to continue its work supporting and advocating for multi-ethnic and multi-cultural businesses. (RaeLynn Ricarte, 2022)
“This is a very exciting time for AHANA,” says the association’s Executive Director, Marvo Reguindin. Because of the pandemic, local and state agencies needed to contract AHANA, a trusted messenger for the BIPOC business community. AHANA provided outreach and technical assistance to Spokane’s multi-ethnic businesses, alerting them to funding grants and loans small BIPOC businesses may not take advantage of, because of language barriers and not realizing they were eligible for those funds. Those contract funds could not be used to build AHANA’s capacity as an organization, and AHANA hired subcontractors to complete the work. Now, this 4-year non-profit capacity building grant will allow AHANA to establish office space and provide services to businesses using staff on a daily basis, says AHANA’s Executive Director, Marvo Reguindin.
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RaeLynn Ricarte (2022, Oct 4) Spokane County awards nearly $5M in federal stimulus funds to nonprofits, health groups. KHQ The Center Square