PROVIDENCE – Mayor David N. Cicilline today delivered more than $226,000 in federal stimulus money to seven Providence senior centers hit hard by state budget cuts.  The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds were made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and equals the exact amount of funding cut to senior centers by the state.

“These are incredibly difficult times for our seniors and it is the absolutely wrong time to cut important programs when seniors need them the most,” said Mayor Cicilline.  “In addition to helping older residents lead productive, independent lives, senior centers also provide critically important services that prevent many from slipping through the cracks during these tough economic times.”

“I want to thank Mayor Cicilline for hearing our pleas and working hard to identify alternative funds to restore our funding,” said Kara Bennett, Chief Operating Officer, Capital City Community Centers.  “This grant basically helped us keep our doors open at a time when we were faced with closing them due to a lack of adequate funding.”

The $226,541 in federal CDBG grants will be used to make up for the shortfall created by reductions in state funding.  The funds will enable seven Providence senior centers to continue to provide critically important services such as emergency food and clothing assistance, wellness programs, food pantry assistance, educational programs and transportation.  The grants will also help to retain jobs put in jeopardy by the state budget cuts. 

The recipients of the CDBG grants are the Westminster Senior Center, Capital City Senior Programs, Fox Point Senior Center, Silver Lake Senior Center, DaVinci Senior Center, St. Martin De Porres Center and Nickerson Community Center.

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