ACTIVITY CUTBACKS FEARED

Friday, February 15, 2008
By EARL MORGAN
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Pleas to council to restore some seniors funding

The directors of Jersey City's Grace Church Van Vorst Senior Services Center pleaded with City Council members this week to find a way to restore federal Community Development Block Grant funds, fearing they'll be forced to cut back on the activities they provide the community.

The Rev. Janet Broderick and Joyce Davis, director of the senior programs, made their plea at Wednesday's council meeting at the Frank R. Conwell School. They said the funding would be used to pay for the various instructors to handle the line dancing and other activities in the program.

The program receives $7,000 a year from the city, and, until this year was also allocated $20,000 yearly in CDBG funding. But the CDBG funds were reduced by $3,000.

City Council President Mariano Vega directed the Business Administrator's Office to contact Darice Toon Bell, the assistant director of the city's Housing Economic Development and Commerce Department, to review the CDBG program for any unallocated funds that could be transferred to the church's program.