On January 27, the Chapel Hill Town Council approved an updated 2020-2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program plan allocating almost $1 million of funding to support relief efforts for Chapel Hill residents struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other community development needs. Highlights of the plan include funding for:
1. 14 Neighborhood Support Circles (NSC) for the spring semester through a collaboration with Refugee Community Partnership, providing neighborhood-based remote learning support and childcare for low-income school age children, allowing parents to return to work and helping the children succeed in school.
2. Remote learning scholarships for students to attend scholastic support programs to have a safe, structured place for virtual learning, guided by education specialists.
3. Two Community Health Workers, or Promotoras, for El Centro Hispano Inc.’s Latino Outreach Program to provide outreach and education to the Latinx community about COVID-19 and vaccination efforts, arrange delivery of supplies like masks, food and diapers, and help access available resources through translation and referrals.
4. Continued operation of the Town’s weekly Food Bank.
5. Increased funding for the Emergency Housing Assistance program administered by Orange County that provides temporary rent and utility assistance.
Funding in the plan that was already allocated to programs for home repairs, homebuyer assistance, homeless case management, and parenting classes remain unchanged.