LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The benefits of the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan are beginning to come to fruition as 23 non-profit agencies in Fayette County have been awarded grant money to move forward with various projects they need to either continue or improve their operations.
“To be able to give grants to non-profits, so they can do projects they can’t afford to do, is really the best of the best,” said Mayor Linda Gordon.
Mayor Gorton welcomed representatives from each agency for today’s announcement inside the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government building. During the presentation, we heard from two of the beneficiaries, including Deb Nickel who runs Natalie’s Sisters, an organization for women who’ve been trafficked or exploited. Natalie’s Sisters was awarded $336,655 to purchase and renovate a duplex apartment for a couple of victims.
“For two women, this is everything,” Nickel said. “It’s tough to find a job when you don’t have an address. It’s really hard to make good choices when you don’t even know where you’re going to sleep tonight,” she continued.
Nickel, and the other agency directors, submitted proposals or estimates to demonstrate their need, and there was enough grant money to meet every request.
“They decided we need everything we asked for. Thank goodness,” said Terry Mullins, the executive director of Moveable Feast.
Moveable Feast prepares and delivers hot dinners, with a lunch for the following day, to those who are sick with AIDS or being cared for in a hospice setting. But their kitchen is beginning to show its age, and that old van they use to drop off those meals seems to spend more time in the repair shop, than on the streets making deliveries.
“We’re going to remodel the building. Get a new van. Also going to get the building rewired and the basement will be finished for more storage. We’ll do a new oven so that’ll actually work all the time. And we’ll do sinks and shelving units and tables,” Mullins explained of how he intends to use the $297,341 he’s been granted.
Mr. Mullins thinks these renovations will not only help him to better serve his current clients, but they might even allow him to expand the operation at some point to include a larger client base.
Each of the 23 agencies, which have listed a total of 45 projects to complete, must be on track for completion and have that money spent by April 30, 2024. Otherwise, the federal government will be looking for a refund of the money that remains.
“This is a new day, and it’s very exciting for these non-profits who are constantly raising money just to keep their programs going,” Mayor Gorton concluded.
