Tuscarawas County gets Ohio Healthy Aging grant for just over $325k
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Jan. 11, 2024) -Tuscarawas County is getting more than $325,000 from a state program that intends to help older Ohioans live longer and maintain their independence.
The money comes from $40 million in one-time Healthy Aging grants out of last summer’s two-year state budget.
Tuscarawas County Community and Economic Development Office Director Scott Reynolds says Tuscarawas County’s allotment was established by the state.
“It wasn’t something that we had a ton of input on as far as the actual amount of the grant, but we did have to apply for it in order to access it,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds says certain percentages of the grant must be used on food assistance, housing assistance, digital literacy, and social connectedness.
The local funding will be split among four agencies that serve seniors in the county: Mobile Meals, Society for Equal Access, Harcatus, and the Tuscarawas County Senior Center.
“I think everyone was pleased, I know the commissioners were pleased about it,” said Reynolds. “Anything we can do to assist the senior citizens of Tuscarawas County.”
Mobile Meals is receiving nearly $57,000 to assist with senior nutrition and food assistance.
Society for Equal Access is getting more than $21,000 to assist with senior transportation.
Harcatus will receive more than $57,000 for senior nutrition and food assistance.
The Tuscarawas County Senior Center will be getting $190,000 to assist with its minor home repair and senior nutrition programs and transportation services.
“The senior center did end up with a big portion of that, but a lot of that had to do with the home repair part of the project because the cost of construction anymore is so high, both labor and materials,” he said.