Barraque Street church plans block party
Barraque Street Missionary Baptist Church and Barraque Street Community Foundation will present a community block party from 3-7 p.m. Aug. 20 at the church, 1800 W. Pullen St.
School supplies will be distributed and the event will include bounce houses, music, food trucks, vendors, and giveaways. Community resources and voter registration will also be available, according to a news release.
Visit www.barraquestmbc.org or follow Barraque Street Missionary Baptist Church on social media.
SEA among recipients of rural health grants
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding $74 million in Emergency Rural Health Care Grants to improve health care facilities, including several in Southeast Arkansas.
USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small made the announcement Thursday.
These investments include $32 million for 67 rural health care organizations to help more than one million people living in socially vulnerable communities, according to the news release.
Arkansas recipients, award amounts and plans include:
City of McGehee, $1,000,000 — To renovate portions of the McGehee hospital and relocate the medical laboratory and cardiopulmonary lab along with updating the efficiency and functionality of both departments. The renovated facility will support immediate health care needs, better prepare the area for future pandemics, and increase access to quality health care services to the area’s citizens.
Bradley County Medical Center, $355,000 — To purchase hospital equipment in the Bradley County Medical Center, which will support immediate heath care needs, provide covid-19 vaccinations and testing, better prepare the area for future pandemics, and increase access to quality health care services to the area’s citizens.
Mainline Health Systems Inc., $682,000 — To demolish the existing Eudora clinic and reconstruct a facility on the existing site that will support immediate health care needs, provide covid-19 vaccinations and testing, better prepare the area for future pandemics, and increase access to quality health care services to the area’s citizens.
Baptist Health, $357,000 — To help recover unreimbursed lost revenues experienced by the Baptist Health Heber Springs facility during the covid-19 pandemic and will directly impact the health care services and improve community health outcomes.
White River Health System Inc., $405,000 — To purchase a mobile medical coach and medical equipment, to facilitate covid-19 vaccinations and testing. The project will also include a mammography machine to perform mammograms for those who lack transportation or during times of a pandemic when individuals are not traveling.
FUNDING SOURCE
The Biden-Harris Administration made these funds available in the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants Programs through the American Rescue Plan Act. These grants will help 143 rural health care organizations expand critical services for three million people in 37 states, Guam and Puerto Rico, according to the release. Details: https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ERHCG-Chart-08.11.22.pdf.