HUNTINGTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Huntington City Council Chairwoman and District 6 representative Holly Smith Mount has distributed a portion of her designation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to Harmony House and the Cabell-Huntington Health Dept.
Mount presented a check for $10,000 to Harmony House and a check for $7,500 to the Health Department on Friday, April 28.
The funding for Harmony House will go toward wellness efforts for staff members who endured hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic, while the funding for the Health Department will go toward its Harm Reduction Program.
“I’m so grateful to have been given the opportunity to designate funding for these two organizations,” Mount said. “They both provide such important services to our community and will always have my full support, as we are a city of solutions and compassion. The past few years dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic have been challenging for everyone, especially vulnerable populations like those served by Harmony House and the Health Department.”
“Harmony House is grateful to the City of Huntington and City Councilwoman Mount for their support,” said Amanda Coleman, executive director of Harmony House. “Our work is challenging in the best of times but, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff faced additional stress, took on added responsibilities and came to work every day when most were working from home. Helping staff address burnout and the secondary trauma they experience in the workplace ensures they can continue to do this work for the long-term.”
“The Cabell-Huntington Health Department appreciates the support of the City of Huntington and Councilwoman Mount as we all continue to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Michael Kilkenny, CEO and health officer of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department. “This money is going toward recovering disease-testing efforts interrupted by the pandemic response.”
The City of Huntington received $40,628,967 in ARPA funds in 2021. The funding is meant to help communities across the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each of Huntington City Council’s 11 representatives was designated with $100,000 in ARPA funds to distribute to community projects that qualify under the guidelines of the American Rescue Plan Act.