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USDA-RD Awards a Total of $810,221 to Rural Alaska Communities

Name
Larry Yerich, Public Information Coordinator
City
Anchorage
Release Date

Standing in front of a shiny new ambulance for the City of Homer, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Under Secretary Lisa Mensah today announced that several rural Alaska communities and organizations have been awarded a total of $810,221 in Rural Development loans and grants.  This funding for rural Alaska will bolster emergency medical services; upgrade port facilities; allow the purchase of a replacement road grader for Ilisagvik Tribal College; and rehab a multi-family housing facility in Juneau.

“This funding signifies our agency’s commitment to helping rural Alaskan communities with a wide variety of essential projects,” Mensah said.  “It is paramount for rural communities to have the ready, available emergency transport they need; viable transportation infrastructure; grow and develop Alaska’s only tribal college; and ensure safe, comfortable housing for residents.”

The City of Homer’s new ambulance was recently off-loaded from a barge at the Port of Anchorage and Homer’s Fire Chief, Robert Painter was on hand to drive the vehicle to Homer.  USDA-RD Alaska approved the $25,000 funding in August 2015. Sue Hecks, Executive Director, Southern Region EMS Council, which acted as a conduit for the funding, also joined the presentation, as does Andy Jones, Emergency Program Manager for the State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

Homer’s ambulance and two of the recipients selected for funding this year are part of an Alaska Division of Public Health program that identifies, prioritizes and seeks funding for essential equipment for emergency medical services in rural Alaska.  USDA-RD has been a funding partner for this program, called “Code Blue,” for many years. 

Below is the list of recipients selected for awards in 2016:

Southern Region EMS Council, Inc.

Economic Impact Initiative Grant of $56,700 and a Community Facilities Grant of $14,500 to purchase a replacement ambulance that will serve the City of Kodiak and the U.S. Coast Guard Base. 

There are approximately 140 miles of state roads that connect residents living on the east side of the island to the City of Kodiak.  In addition, they provide transportation and care to patients arriving from outlying remote communities on Kodiak Island as well as patients that arrive from the marine vessels and the commercial fishing fleet.

Maniilaq Association Economic Impact Initiative Grant of $50,000 to purchase a patient transport vehicle for the village of Kivalina. This vehicle will transport one patient and associated health care workers and allow transportation through rough terrain to the village clinic or to the airport for medevac to larger medical facilities. This is part of the statewide Code Blue program.  This is located in a USDA StrikeForce area.

“Clearly, there is a strong need for these critical emergency vehicles, and USDA is very proud to be a part of the financing package that allowed for the purchase of ambulances for Homer, Kodiak and Kivalina,” said Greg Stuckey, Director of Community Facilities.

The other Community Facilities funding announcements for 2016 are:

City of Pelican

Community Facility Loan of $425,500 and a Community Facilities Grant of $74,500 to make necessary improvements to the City owned fuel dock.  This small island community originated as a commercial fishing town and it continues to be a vital part of Pelican’s culture.  Boat and seaplane are the community’s only modes of transportation off of the island.  Having a sustainable fuel dock is essential to the livelihood of their community.  This is located in a USDA StrikeForce area.

Ilisagvik Tribal College

Ilisagvik in Barrow is the only tribally controlled college in Alaska.  It is the northernmost accredited community college in the United States.  The College was awarded a $143,000 grant through USDA-RD’s Tribal College Grant program.  This specialized program provides land-grant institutions with funds for outreach and education services to help meet the needs of Native American and Alaska Native communities.  Funding may be used to make capital improvements to educational facilities and to purchase equipment. 

Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority (THRHA)

USDA-RD has funded THRHA a Housing Preservation Grant of $46,021 to repair and rehabilitate their senior housing residence in Juneau

For more information on available USDA-RD Community Facilities program funding, please contact Greg Stuckey at: (907) 761-7778, or email greg.stuckey@ak.usda.gov.

For more information on available USDA-RD Multi-Family Housing program funding, please contact Deborah Davis at: (907) 761-7740, or email deborah.davis@ak.usda.gov.

Since 2009, USDA-Rural Development has invested more than $2 billion in 226 rural Alaskan communities.  These investments in housing, community facilities, business, energy, water and sewer, telecom and electric have helped to grow rural Alaska’s economy and enhance the quality of life for its residents.