Rep. Kelly presents United Way of the Titusville Region $55,000 in Community Project Funding
TITUSVILLE, PA -- Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) presented the United Way of the Titusville Region with $55,000 in Community Project Funding they received in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. The funding is designated for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
The program that would be supported by this funding works to improve literacy among young children by expanding access to books. The Early Learner Success Initiative has enrolled 188 children, graduated 31 children, and has mailed over 1,700 books. Literacy foundation is crucial to brain development for children under five years old and research has shown there is a return on investment. Children that participate in early learning programs have been shown to experience greater educational success and more ambitious career goals.
"Providing more books and expanding educational opportunities, especially among our youngest readers, is a critical building block," Kelly said. "Thank you to the team at the United Way of Titusville Region for reaching out to us. This funding will go a long way toward helping the young people of the Titusville area."
BACKGROUND
Congressional leaders resumed Community Project Funding (CPF), formerly known as 'earmarks', for the 117th Congress. With increased transparency and stricter guidelines, lawmakers were permitted to submit specific funding requests during the budget process. Rep. Kelly fielded input from local leaders throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania before selecting these projects. Of the ten (10) requests Rep. Kelly was allotted, eight (8) were selected in fiscal year 2022. Rep. Kelly's FY2023 projects totaled nearly $25 million.
Details on CPF rules and guidelines can be found here.
This funding comes after Rep. Kelly delivered two BUILD Grants in 2020 for the 16th Congressional District, including $25 million for improvements along State Route 228 in Butler County, and $21 million for the City of Erie's Bayfront Parkway Project.