Aid For Community Services, Salvation Army, Penelope House

Gov. Kay Ivey, through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs with funds made available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has awarded $3.3 million for programs that help low-income residents become economically self-sufficient and alleviate poverty. The Community Services Block Grants will be distributed to 18 community action agencies to provide services to eligible individuals and families in Alabama. Mobile Community Action Inc. received $340,615 to aid Mobile and Washington counties, and the Community Action Agency of South Alabama received $238,498 to aid Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Marengo, Monroe and Wilcox counties. The agencies will use the funds for a range of programs, including ones that train people in the skills needed to obtain jobs, help participants maintain the ability to stay in their homes and provide emergency assistance to prevent further declines in their lives. The types of assistance will be determined by the local agencies based on the needs of their regions.

Additionally, Ivey announced the award of $2.65 million to help Alabamians who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless obtain shelter and other related services. The funds from the federal Emergency Solutions Grants program will assist 12 governments and nonprofit organizations provide shelter, legal and health services, and other assistance to help individuals and families who face losing their homes or are already homeless. The Salvation Army of Mobile and Baldwin counties received $300,000 to provide emergency shelter, and Penelope House Inc. of Mobile received $177,000 to provide emergency shelter for domestic violence victims in Mobile County. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.