Fuels Reduction Activities Bring Work, Reduced Wildifre Hazards to Northern Michigan
In the middle of tough economic times for Crawford, Oscoda, Alcona, and Iosco counties in northeastern Michigan, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) brought $3.871 million to the area in funding for the Huron Fuels Reduction Project. To help reduce wildfire hazards on the Huron National Forest and protect nearby communities, the Huron Shores and Mio ranger districts hired a fuels crew of 51 new employees. The vast majority of the crew members were unemployed local northern Michigan community members. The crew began their tour of duty in July 2009, working long hours as a team to cut, chip, stack, and haul trees and brush. The crew also performed prescribed fire activities when the proper burning conditions were present. The fuels crew continued their efforts in the field until winter weather prevented it. The crew will return to work again in the spring and will work through the end of September 2010. Although these are temporary positions, the majority of crew members are positive about their experience and especially for the opportunity to have a job that allows them to stay in northern Michigan and provide for their families. While some members of the crew will go elsewhere after the project work is completed, others remain positive about future opportunities to work for the Forest Service. Donna Schrader of Mio said, "This means everything to me--every single day. This is what I want to do for the rest of my career, and every day I try to work hard and prove it."
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Posted:
02:52PM Apr 15, 2010
by Gwen Ernstulrich in USDA Web Site |
Feeding the hungry
Stimulus Makes a Difference in Michigan
Prior to the stimulus bill (ARRA), elderly Americans participated in SNAP at a low rate compared to other groups. The recent ARRA-related increases in SNAP benefits have made the program more attractive to the elderly. In April 2009, Detroit resident Marva Moore, 62 and a cancer survivor, applied for the program.
Moore, who worked at a local Sears warehouse, a produce company and a Detroit meeting hall, faced cancer in 2002. Since that time, the mother of seven wasn’t interested in participating in SNAP because of the low amount of benefits she might have received.
“I’d have had to pay $20 to have a taxi take me to the store,” she explained. “And friends said they only received $10 per month, so it just wasn’t worth it.”
With the stimulus bill, SNAP benefits were increased by $24 for a household of one.
When Moore spoke to a Michigan caseworker about her disability case, she was asked why she hadn’t applied for SNAP. Upon learning benefit amounts had been increased and she could apply easily through the State’s simplified application process for SSI eligible households, Moore submitted an application.
Moore was elated to learn she was eligible for $85 a month, effective in April.
“I’m glad about the stimulus,” Moore said. “It helps that I get $86—that’s a lot.”
The elderly Detroit resident uses her SNAP benefits to purchase chicken, turkey, onions, eggs, cheese and milk, as well as other items.
“The things you need to survive,” she explained.
Referring to the stimulus bill and SNAP, she said, “I’m glad you all did something for us.”
Thanks to the President and Congress, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 included $20 billion in additional funding to provide food to those most in need. It also provides infrastructure support to the National School Lunch Program, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations – to make them even stronger.
We know there are people in every community who face hunger and need help. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service oversees 15 nutrition assistance programs that form a national safety net against hunger. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly the Food Stamp Program, is our largest nutrition program serving more than 33 million people each month, half of whom are children.
In April 2009, SNAP helped 1,450,554 people in Michigan put more healthy food on the table, reaching 14.5 percent more people than the previous year. The beauty of the program is that it expands and contracts based on economic conditions. ARRA money provides participating SNAP families of four, for instance, an additional $80 each month to purchase nutritious food.
Helping the hungry in our communities not only provides needed assistance, but helps all of us by stimulating local economies. Every $5 in new SNAP benefits generates over $9 in total economic activity – both within local communities and well beyond.
The diets of low-income Americans are improved every day because of nutrition assistance programs. If you know someone in need, please have them call the SNAP toll-free number, 1-800-221-5689 or visit www.fns.usda.gov. Together, we can work toward the President’s mandate to end childhood hunger by 2015 and improve the lives of our youngest Americans.
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Posted:
08:47AM Jul 31, 2009
by Jean Daniel in USDA Web Site |
Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc.
Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc.
Rural Development has approved a $2,239,970 Community Facility loan.
• This project will serve 19,312 residents of Taylor County, as well as the residents in 6 surrounding counties. Taylor County has a median income of $44,469.
• Rural Development funds will be used to construct a new dental clinic located in Medford, WI (Taylor County).The new clinic will employ five licensed dentists, five hygienists, and support personnel.
• Taylor County is designated as a Dental Health Professional Shortage Area, as well as the second worst county in the State of Wisconsin for access to dental services as 42.6% of the population reports not having seen a dentist in the prior year.
• The goal is for the dental center to meet the oral health needs of the residents of Taylor and surrounding counties. The clinic’s target population will be those covered by Medicaid and/or BadgerCare who have difficulty accessing dental care.
• When Family Health Center of Marshfield, Inc. opened its first dental clinic in Ladysmith, WI in 2002, it received patients from 42 of the 72 counties in its first year. In addition, the Department of Health Services estimates that more than 450,000 people in state health programs alone don’t have adequate access to dental care in WI. Nationally, the number of areas designated as “dental health professional shortage areas” by the federal government has grown from 792 in 1993 to 4,086 this year.
Status: A ground breaking ceremony was held on June 29, 2009, construction is underway.
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Posted:
11:36AM Jul 30, 2009
by Charles Hobbs in USDA Web Site |
Tell Us Your Story
USDA is implementing the $28 billion provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). This Funding will help jumpstart the Nation's economy, create or save millions of jobs and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. Our efforts will help modernize our nation's infrastructure, revitalize rural communities, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need. Give us your feedback and tell us how the Recovery Act is helping in your local communities.
All comments will be posted within 24 hours or less.
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Posted:
12:03PM Apr 29, 2009
by NITC Blog Admin in USDA Recovery Act |
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Thursday Apr 15, 2010
