McKee is sending $28M to these cities and towns for community centers. Here's a breakdown.

Antonia Noori Farzan, Providence Journal

Gov. Dan McKee's administration has chosen a dozen community learning centers across Rhode Island to receive a combined total of more than $28 million in grants through the Learn365RI Initiative.

Funded with federal dollars, the grant program is intended "to help municipalities create state-of-the-art spaces that offer programming to improve education outcomes and student performance, provide workforce training for better and higher-paying jobs, and help residents enhance their physical and mental health," according to Thursday's announcement.

The second round of grants will bring the total investment to $81.7 million, according to the McKee administration.

Here's who's getting funding in round one, according to the governor's office.

Barrington

  • $814,773 will go toward renovating and expanding the Bay Spring Community Center "to create modern spaces suitable for programs and services in the areas of education, work and health monitoring."

Bristol

  • $1,751,142 in funding will be used for renovations at the Rogers Free Library, "including the addition of a maker space, new HVAC equipment, new broadband-capable equipment and construction of additional group and private study spaces."

Cumberland

  • The governor's hometown is getting $2,618,159 to create "a wellness hub that ties together the Amaral Building and Heritage Park on Mill Street."

East Greenwich

  • $668,523 will be used to build an addition to the Swift Community Center, "to not only provide much-needed classroom and conference room space but also allow for the more effective use of the building’s existing footprint to deliver a broader range of services," including health screenings, educational pursuits and fitness activities.

East Providence

  • $4,043,761 will go toward building a community center that will provide space for education, workforce development, health monitoring and recreational activities, as well as business development workshops.

Hopkinton/Richmond

  • $1,246,730 will be used to create a center for the two towns "to address the urgent needs of their students and community, including job placement and employment education supports and education supports that focus on reducing absenteeism and improving RICAS scores and FAFSA completion."

  • It will include a computer lab to ensure residents have accessible internet access, and also a dedicated telehealth space, according to the governor's office.

Newport/Middletown

  • $2,900,764 will go toward improvements at the Florence Gray Center "for a joint Newport-Middletown Community Center that will support and expand programming in the areas of student learning, workforce development and health monitoring and services."

Providence

  • A $4,884,000 grant will allow the Elmwood Community Center to "serve as a central location for community-based organizations to provide workforce development, educational and health service" managed by the city's Recreation Department.

  • Additionally, a $3,665,000 grant will create a first-of-its kind "resilience hub" that provides educational, health and workforce development services to Olneyville and the surrounding neighborhoods. The hub will be based out of the Joslin Recreation Center and coordinated by the Providence Office of Sustainability, in collaboration with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, Nuevas Voces Program and the Olyneyville Neighborhood Association.

Smithfield

  • $1,813,952 will be used to restore the East Smithfield Neighborhood Center, which is in a health equity zone and between two senior affordable housing complexes.

South Kingstown

  • A $2,520,044 grant will enhance the Peace Dale Library "by providing robust public internet access, digital literacy navigation assistance, education support and workforce preparedness assistance."

  • According to the governor's office, the expansion "includes new features, such as a classroom and private booth spaces that will support programming focused on community workforce development and education, as well as dedicated space to access health resources and telehealth."

Westerly

  • $1,653,614 will allow the town to provide a single location "where people can access health care, workforce training, educational resources, recreational opportunities and additional services." The main tenants will be Wood River Health, the Westerly Education Center and the Town of Westerly Recreation Department.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: McKee announces $28M in grants for community learning centers

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