'The competitive federal grants announced today will build upon community-driven innovation to establish a premier children's hospital,
to enhance tourism, and to foster future growth throughout the region.'
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded $4.15 million in Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) grant funding to community organizations in Eastern Kentucky to help provide quality children's healthcare and revitalize economic development in the region.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
As Senate Majority Leader and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell advocates for ARC and its targeted programs supporting communities impacted by the downturn in the coal sector, including those in Eastern Kentucky. In particular, he secures funding for the POWER grant program, which gives local organizations the tools they need to make a positive impact in their communities. Since becoming Majority Leader, Senator McConnell has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for the ARC POWER grant program.
"It was a privilege to join local leaders to secure this $4.15 million investment into Eastern Kentucky and to help support the region's bright future," said Senator McConnell. "I've long supported ARC's mission to encourage economic development throughout Appalachia, and I'm proud of its active role in Kentucky communities. The competitive federal grants announced today will build upon community-driven innovation to establish a premier children's hospital, to enhance tourism, and to foster future growth throughout the region. Kentucky continues to punch above its weight in Washington, and I'm proud to use my position as Senate Majority Leader to consistently deliver for our Commonwealth."
Senator McConnell contacted ARC in support of his constituents' competitive federal grant applications for the following priorities:
- ·$1.5 MILLION TO PIKEVILLE MEDICAL CENTER (PMC) to help fund a children's hospital to serve as Central Appalachia's premier pediatric healthcare facility for children in need of preventative care or hospitalization, as well as routine pediatric care. In September, Senator McConnell also helped PMC secure $4.8 million from the U.S. Department of Interior's Abandoned Mine Land Economic Development Pilot Program.
"On behalf of Pikeville Medical Center, the Board of Directors, physicians and staff, I want to extend our sincere appreciation to Senator Mitch McConnell. He understands the desperate need for pediatric healthcare in Appalachia. This $1.5 million dollar ARC POWER Initiative grant bridges the gap in the region's healthcare network through the development of a children's hospital in Eastern Kentucky," said PMC Vice President of the Board of Directors and CEO Donovan Blackburn. "Today, hundreds of families must travel hours to receive care for their children. Because of the continuing support of Senator McConnell, those families will soon have the ability to stay close to home in the event their children need hospitalization. The children's hospital will reach out beyond its walls with a dual purpose. Our goal is to improve the health of our communities through programs fostering healthy lifestyles, while detecting, preventing and controlling diseases."
- ·$1.5 MILLION TO THE FOUNDATION FOR APPALACHIAN KENTUCKY, in partnership with the University of Kentucky's Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, to support economic development of coalfield communities in Eastern Kentucky by focusing on revitalization efforts and supporting entrepreneurial projects.
Dr. Alison F. Davis, the Director for the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky, said, "We would like to thank Senator McConnell for his support for this project. There is a collective energy in the region to revitalize, rebuild, and reinvest in our communities. The POWER funding will leverage investments and provide support for catalytic downtown projects that will benefit the entire region."
- ·$1.15 MILLION TO EASTERN KENTUCKY PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment) to support their mission of contributing to the economic and cultural growth of the Appalachian region through a tourism-focused rebranding initiative.
"I want to thank Senator McConnell and Congressman Rogers for championing this project on behalf of the people they serve in this 41-county region. Their support of the grant application ensured that the key decision-makers recognized it as a sound investment of ARC funding," said Tammie Nazario, President and CEO of Eastern Kentucky PRIDE, the nonprofit spearheading the rebranding project.
