Mayor William Flanagan announced on August 5th that the Fall River Community Development Agency had recently been awarded the 2013 John Sasso Community Development Week Award. The event recognized the work of the Agency in showcasing the realization of agency goals durng National Community Development Week. The agency had to submit a 1,000 word essay describing their activities during the week, including media coverage and the participation of state and local elected officials. There also had to be a focus on local partnerships, leveraging of program dollars, the sustainabiloity of funded projects and value to the community. The Fall River submission focused on their accomplishments over the past 39 years of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and over the past 22 years of the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program. State legislators Paul Schmid, Alan Silvia and David Sullivan joined U.S. Congressman William Keating for the event. National Community Development Week is celebrated by local community development agencies across America during the first week of April. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds made available by HUD provide programs such as job training for the unemployed, senior citizen programs and services provided for persons with disabilities and children of low-income families. Click here for a ten-minute video of the announcement. Click here for the Herald News article. For more information, contact CDA Executive Director Michael Dion at 508-679-0131.

(Top row) Fall River Community Development Agency (CDA) Executive Director Michael Dion confers with Mayor Flanagan and talks with Fall River Herald News reporter Jo C. Goode before the press event in the Fall River Room at Government Center. (Top row, right) CDA Compliance Officer Brian Pearson wipes the fingerprints from the award before the event begins. as Neighborhood Outreet Coordinator Perry Long, Michael Dion and Maryor Flanagan smile. (Middle row) Mayor Flanagan praises the agency for their work and Mr. Dion for his leadership. (Bottom row) Brian Pearson speaks first before fellow staff members Paul Thibeault and Kelly Soares pose for a group photo.