by Becky Andrus | May 25, 2022 | Local News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Prem Mukherjee
Email: info@arisingimages.com
Grants to be awarded to children’s based charities by local renowned
fine art portrait studio.
LAKE ORION, MI — Arising Images, a local Lake Orion portrait studio, is offering an opportunity to submit applications for a charitable grant. Organizations must be a 501(c) 3 within 75 miles of the Lake Orion community and provide programs and/or services that focus on children. Multiple grants between $15k-$30k will be awarded.
Locally owned and operated by Prem and Cheridy Mukherjee since 2004, Arising Images is excited to open up this donation opportunity to the many worthy causes in the area. Prem says, “Supporting the mission of the good people doing the good works of providing programs & services to children in the community really aligns with our vision to help kids realize they are valued and important. By capturing their strength and inner beauty through portraits, our goal is always to reinforce their self-worth and build confidence. We also know that the process for applying and obtaining grants can be challenging for smaller charities so we have made the process to apply and be considered very simple. It really just seemed like a great marriage of our values.”
To be considered for a donation, organizations will submit an application on or before the deadline of July 31, 2022. After careful review, finalists will be notified and invited to do a short, in-person presentation at a date/time to be announced.
Complete submission criteria and application link is available at: https://arisingimages.com/grant_application/; Arising Images FB; or request by email at info@arisingimages.com. For more information, please call 248-720-5848.
About Arising Images
Arising Images, a Michigan boutique studio, specializes in children’s fantasy portraits that capture their innocence and amazement with mystical forest friends and magic in a lush realistic forest setting. Fine Art Photographer’s provide artistic images and heirloom quality products that last a lifetime and create a memorable family experience.
by Becky Andrus | May 24, 2022 | Regional News
PHOTOS: Lt. Governor Gilchrist Tours Rebuilding Michigan Project in Lansing
LANSING, Mich. – Today, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II inspected the progress made on the I-69 Rebuilding Michigan Project in Lansing. This project is one of over 20 Rebuilding Michigan projects that invest a historic $3.5 Billion into Michigan’s Infrastructure – without raising taxes.
“I wanted to come visit the I-69 revitalization project in Clinton County to see how our administration’s investments in infrastructure are making a difference. We are investing approximately $65 million to rebuild I-69 from I-96 to Airport Road, reconstruct the interchanges at Francis and Airport roads, and perform preventative maintenance on 13 bridges,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Throughout Michigan, we are rebuilding roads and bridges using the right mix of materials to ensure that our roads are safe, create good-paying jobs, and support local economies and small businesses. Through the end of this year, we will have fixed over 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, directly supporting nearly 89,000 jobs.”
Project Profile: I-69 in Clinton and Eaton Counties
The I-69 revitalization project in Clinton County invests $73 million to rebuild I-69 from I-96 to Airport Road, reconstruct the interchanges at Francis and Airport roads and perform preventative maintenance on 13 bridges. This investment supports 927 jobs and revitalizes an important route for commuter, commercial, and tourism traffic.
Historic Infrastructure Investments
Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist have already fixed over 13,000 lane miles of road and 903 bridges, supporting nearly 82,000 jobs. These and future repairs are made possible by two historic investments, the Rebuilding Michigan plan, a 5-year, $3.5 billion investment in our highways and bridges without an increase at the pump, and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, the largest one-time investment in Michigan’s infrastructure in state history. These strategic investments in Michigan’s critical infrastructure ensures future Michiganders will have safe roadways and bridges to run errands, travel, and build a stronger economy.
Learn more about the Whitmer – Gilchrist Administrations historic infrastructure investments here.
by Becky Andrus | May 24, 2022 | Regional News
Gov. Whitmer Announces Michiganders to Receive Additional Assistance in May to Lower the Cost of Groceries
LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced all Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will continue to receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in May to help lower the cost of groceries and ensure Michiganders can keep more of their hard-earned money. The additional assistance will help approximately 1.36 million Michiganders in more than 700,000 households.
“Michiganders will continue to be able to put nutritious food on the table thanks to our ongoing partnership with the federal government,” said Governor Whitmer. “In addition to helping Michigan families lower their out-of-pocket food costs, this collaboration has helped us continue to grow our economy by returning federal dollars to Michigan. I will work with anyone to lower costs for Michiganders and get things done that make a real difference in their lives.”
In April 2020, some Michigan residents began receiving additional food assistance under this program. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approval is necessary every month.
Eligible clients who receive food assistance are seeing additional benefits on their Bridge Card from May 14-23. These benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance provided earlier in the month.
All households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receive an increase of at least $95 monthly, even if they are already receiving the maximum payment or are close to that amount. Households that received more than $95 to bring them to the maximum payment for their group size will continue to receive that larger amount.
Below are the maximum allowable benefits for SNAP customers based on their respective household size:
- One Person: $250
- Two Persons: $459
- Three Persons: $658
- Four Persons: $835
- Five Persons: $992
- Six Persons: $1,190
- Seven Persons: $1,316
- Eight Persons: $1,504
Secured by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow as Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, the federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or calling a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. They can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing their caseworker.
Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.
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by Becky Andrus | May 24, 2022 | Health and Wellness
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 24, 2022
CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112, WheatonB@michigan.gov
MDHHS seeks proposals to help victims of child abuse
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Division of Victim Services is seeking proposals from organizations that can provide services to victims of child abuse.
The focus of the Children’s Advocacy Center Victims of Crime Act proposals is to enhance or expand services offered by organizations with a demonstrated history of providing services to victims of child abuse and their non-offending family members.
Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribes and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations – including faith-based organizations – that provide children’s advocacy center services.
Successful applicants are expected to provide the following core services to victims/survivors and their non-offending family members, as defined in the Comprehensive Services Guidelines for Children’s Advocacy Centers Funded by the Michigan Division of Victim Services:
- Forensic interview services.
- Information and referral.
- Personal advocacy/accompaniment.
- Emotional support and safety services.
- Criminal/civil justice system assistance.
- Systems change and coordination.
- Trauma-informed therapy.
- Specialized medical evaluation.
The award period is Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2023. MDHHS anticipates issuing up to 35 awards with a maximum of $1.5 million possible for a single award.
Grant applications for the Children’s Advocacy Center proposal must be submitted electronically through the EGrAMS program by 3 p.m. July 12, 2022.
For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and select the “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete request for proposals can be accessed under the “Current Grants” section under the “Bureau of Community Services” link and by selecting the “CACV-2023” grant program. |
by Becky Andrus | May 23, 2022 | Regional News
Oakland County’s COVID-19 Response Receives National Recognition
The National Association of Counties (NACo) recognized Oakland County with 11 Achievement Awards.
- Four of the awards focused on pandemic response, including the county’s school nurse program and COVID-19 vaccine public education campaign.
Pontiac, Michigan – Oakland County has captured 11 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for 2022, including four for Oakland County’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.
NACo recognized Oakland County for its:
- 2020-2021 Oakland Together School Nurse Initiative, where the Oakland County Health Division hired public health nurses to serve in local school districts to address COVID-19-related concerns
- Save Your Spot online COVID-19 vaccine scheduler for residents to indicate their interest in getting vaccinated with more than 600,000 registrations
- One-by-One multi-faceted public education campaign that encouraged hope and confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Distribution plan which helped get PPE to thousands of first responders and front-line workers who responded daily to residents in the county’s 62 cities, villages and townships.
“From the first case of COVID-19 in March of 2020, through today, Oakland County has prioritized the health and safety of its residents,” said Oakland County Executive David Coulter. “I’m so proud of our employees for being recognized for their passion, creativity and dedication to not only the response to COVID, but also ensuring that our residents have access to efficient and quality services and programs.”
To view all of Oakland County’s awards, click here and type Oakland County in the search bar.
“All across the country, counties are working tirelessly to support residents and drive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” NACo President Larry Johnson said. “This year’s Achievement Award-winning programs showcase how counties work every day to build healthy, safe and thriving communities.”
Nationally, awards are given in 18 different categories that reflect the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include: children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and many more.
Started in 1970, NACo’s annual Achievement Awards program is designed to recognize county government innovations. Each nominee is judged on its own merits and not against other applications received. NACo unites America’s 3,069 county governments. Founded in 1935, NACo brings county officials together to advocate with a collective voice on national policy, exchange ideas and build new leadership skills, pursue transformational county solutions, enrich the public’s understanding of county government and exercise exemplary leadership in public service. Learn more at naco.org.
