American Rescue Plan Allocations Will Help Alexandrians Recover

Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a $29.8 million allocation plan for the first quarter of the City’s allotment of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funding
Page updated on March 18, 2022 at 1:46 PM
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American Rescue Plan Allocations Will Help Alexandrians Recover

A DCHS CONNECT NEWS HIGHLIGHT

 

July 23, 2021--On July 6, the Alexandria City Council unanimously approved a $29.8 million allocation plan for the first quarter of the City’s allotment of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funding, which will help Alexandria residents and businesses recover from the pandemic.

ARPA is a $1.9 trillion national aid package. It includes benefits directly to individuals, such as recovery rebates, extended unemployment benefits and additional assistance for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It also includes assistance to small businesses, state and local governments as well as school districts. Additionally, $360 million of this one-time aid will be directly allocated to states and localities. The City of Alexandria has been allocated $59.4 million in two equal allotments, the first of which was provided in May 2021 and the second to be allotted in May 2022.

In Alexandria, the first half of the May 2021 allotment will support businesses, basic needs, recovery efforts and long-term community investment. DCHS programs and staff are supporting a wide range of these projects and programs, including:

  • Working in collaboration with ACT for Alexandria and other partners to ensure individuals and families are accessing ARP, federal and state programs and that ongoing needs are met through tangible aid.
  • Implementing a project to continue building inclusive and equitable services to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, who have been disproportionately impacted during the pandemic.
  • Working in collaboration with ALIVE! and other partners on the next steps in providing food security for Alexandrians using the lessons learned through approaches undertaken during the pandemic, including bringing food closer and providing families with greater choices, variety and culturally appropriate options.
  • Leading in the Alexandria Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot with 150 families for two years.
  • Scaling up a workforce development pilot funded by the CARES Act to get people back to work and increase skill levels and wages through work-based learning, vocation-based English for speakers of other languages, digital literacy for employment and access to supportive services critical for work.
  • Leading an initiative that will support hundreds of childcare providers and early childhood educators in providing safe and healthy learning environments for children and help parents—especially women—get back to work.

DCHS is also helping to support food and rent assistance programs and eviction legal services, which were approved earlier this year. View a full list and descriptions of the ARPA projects and programs. Learn more about the ARPA at alexandriava.gov/AmericanRescuePlan. Read a story about how these programs have directly affected Alexandria residents.