Investment to Benefit Rural South Dakota Residents
The Trump Administration today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $24,700 in the Wagner Early Childhood, Inc. to make improvements to its day care center.
“This USDA investment will assist Wagner Early Childhood, Inc. with meeting guidelines set under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 to make the facility accessible to the children and families they serve,” said USDA Rural Development South Dakota State Director Julie Gross. “Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA has been working tirelessly to be a strong partner to rural South Dakota in building stronger and healthier communities, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
Wagner Early Childhood Center is located in Wagner, SD. It is a childcare facility that supervises and cares for children. The daycare provides services that support parents and guardians by caring for children too young to be left alone, most often children too young to attend school or school-aged children that require before or after school care. The facility is licensed to serve 90 children. The center also offers physical therapy, occupational speech therapy, and offers after school programs and activities. Children are encouraged to explore and use their imagination in an enriched environment that offers swing sets, slides, sand toys, bike and walking path.
Through a USDA Rural Development Community Facility grant in the amount of $24,700, the men’s and women’s bathrooms will be upgraded to improve handicap accessibility and lever faucets will be installed in the restrooms and kitchen area. In addition, the carpet is being replaced throughout the building. The federal funding was leveraged with an applicant contribution of $8,300.
Funding for today’s announcement was made available through the $150 million in grants included in the Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act that President Trump signed into law on June 6, 2019. These grants are to help eligible rural communities continue their recovery from the devastating effects of natural disasters.
Grant applications will be accepted on a continual basis until funds are exhausted. Contact your local area office for further information or assistance with the application process. Grant assistance will be provided on a graduated scale; smaller communities with the lowest median household income are eligible for a higher proportion of grant funds. For application details and additional information, see page 47477 of the Sept. 10, 2019 Federal Register. More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in eligible rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/sd.
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