Port Authority distributes community grants from River City Casino funds
Suburban Journals
September 14, 2011
By Scott Bandle
The River City Casino continues to pay off for community organizations in Lemay and St. Louis County.
The Lemay Housing Partnership recently received $780,000 while the Mid-East Area Agency on Aging was awarded a $500,000 grant. The two social service agencies were among nine organizations to receive $1.8 million in casino money.
"The casino is doing very well for us," said Barbara Heymeyer, executive director of the Lemay Chamber of Commerce. "It has been a big help to many organizations."
The casino has a lease with the St. Louis County Port Authority to use the 56-acre site at 777 River City Casino Blvd. in Lemay. That lease money goes into the Community Reinvestment Fund, which is distributed every six months to various community groups. About $4.3 million in grants have been awarded.
Until 2014, 75 percent of the total will go to Lemay organizations with 25 percent going to other St. Louis County groups. Then, the grants will be open to all groups throughout St. Louis County.
The investment fund started to give grants in August 2010. The third round of grants recently was awarded. Besides the Lemay Housing Partnership and the MEAAA, other organizations receiving grants included American Legion Post 15, the Missouri Civil War Museum and the South County Economic Improvement Corporation.
The Lemay Housing Partnership will use the money to help families with home repairs for seniors and low-income residents, or to prepare their properties for sale, Heymeyer said.
The MEAAA will use its $500,000 grant to purchase a new building to house the Lemay South County Senior Center. It will move from its present rental property at 9451 Gentry Ave. The MEAAA currently is negotiating on a property in Lemay, said Patti Hoeft, director of Senior Centers for the MEAAA.
"We're all so excited about it," Hoeft said. "This is going to triple our space. We'll be able to help more seniors with meals, health screenings, exercise classes, a computer lab and referral services."
The present center serves about 140 meals daily. About 50 people go to the center to eat while the rest of the meals are delivered.
The MEAAA hopes to start moving the center around Dec. 1. It is scheduled to reopen in January 2012.
Community groups must apply for the funding, and recipients are chosen by the Port Authority Board of Commissioners. The commission will take the next round of applications from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1.
Groups can apply at www.lemaynow.com or www.slcec.com.
"The grants have to be used for the benefit of the community," said Beth Letscher, specialist for the South Sector of the St. Louis County Economic Council. "You just can't apply to get a swimming pool in your backyard. The commissioners closely examine every application."
