North Carolina House Representative William Brisson confirmed this morning Bladen County will receive funding from the Golden Leaf Foundation to support the construction needed for drivers’ training and training for nurses. Scott T. Hamilton, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Golden LEAF Board of Directors announced the board held a teleconference yesterday and voted to award funding through the Golden LEAF Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI) for the following projects in your district. This Golden LEAF program is available in one prosperity zone each year. Each county within the zone is eligible for funding for projects that are ready for implementation and support the critical building blocks of economic growth.
There will be a $200,000 grant to Bladen Community College to support efforts to the continuous improvement of the education and training of nurses, resulting in higher program retention, completion, and NCLEX pass rates. The college is working to improve access and learning by consolidating program spaces (currently spread among five campus buildings) into one building. Funds will be used for classroom and lab renovations and equipment.
The County of Bladen will receive an $800,000 grant support the construction of a commercial vehicle training pad, multipurpose building, and associated site work. This site will be used in collaboration with Bladen Community College to enable 125 students each year to earn their commercial truck driver license. Funds are expected to match a pending award from the Economic Development Administration (EDA).
A grant of $1,000,000 will be awarded to Sampson Community College (SCC) to enable expansion of vocational training for CTE classes for high school and traditional community college students. Funds will be used to renovate an existing building that will house new programs to address high demand fields including electrical, HVAC, and masonry. SCC expects to increase the number of high school students completing a CTE pathway, community college students earning a certificate or degree, students earning industry-recognized credentials, and workers completing short-term customized training.
Also, a grant for $500,000 will go to Tri-County Community Health Council (known as CommWell Health or CWH), to renovate an existing facility on CommWell Health’s campus in Newton Grove. The renovated facility will continue to offer primary medical and dental services, but expand to add specialty care in partnership with other providers, enabling the creation of 22 new jobs over five years. The campus serves 8,000 patients each year and this new capacity will serve an additional 2,800 over five years.
Through the disaster recovery program, the Board awarded funding for the following projects:
$25,000 to Autryville for an assessment of stormwater infrastructure. The town has experienced increased flooding following Hurricane Florence, likely due to damaged or compromised stormwater infrastructure.
$200,000 to Clinton for the improved repair of the levee surrounding the Clinton wastewater treatment plant. Funds will be used to repair an area that eroded as a result of Hurricane Florence as well as to replace the aged valve system.
$168,694 to Turkey for the repair of stormwater infrastructure damaged as a result of Hurricane Florence.
The Autryville, Clinton, and Turkey projects are funded by the recent disaster recovery appropriations to Golden LEAF. Disaster recovery program information, including the application, is available on our website: link. Applications for the next round are due by April 20. Golden LEAF is honored to assist communities as they recover from the recent major hurricanes.
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