Wake County is due to receive nearly $27 million in federal funding for various projects in the omnibus spending bill currently awaiting the president's signature. Here's how some of the money will be spent.

GARNER, N.C. — President Joe Biden is expected to sign a bill this week that includes nearly $27 million in funding for projects in Wake County.

The funding is part of the $1.7 trillion spending bill financing federal agencies through September 2023.

Funding to improve Meals on Wheels site at Garner Senior Center

The spending bill on Biden’s desk includes $505,000 for the Garner Senior Center at 205 East Garner Road. A large portion of the federal funds will go toward updating the kitchen and dining area.

“It will mean a great deal,” said Meals on Wheels Site Manager Febbie Gordon.

The two buildings at the Garner Senior Center serve thousands of people each month. Every day, dozens of seniors come for lunch provided by Meals on Wheels.

It’s the program’s largest group dining site in Wake County. Gordon estimated the site feeds between 60-70 people each day.

“The kitchen is a valuable part of what we do, and expanding and doing new amenities here would be great,” Gordon said.

Garner Senior Center Director Torrey Blackmar said it’s a struggle to stretch their annual town budget of $200,000 to cover programs, staff and maintenance. The federal grant, more than twice its annual budget, is a windfall that will allow for some much-needed repairs and updates.

“The bathrooms are terribly dated here,” Blackmar said. “The paint … it just really needs a facelift.”

Minnie Walker, 81, has come to the Meals on Wheels lunches at the Center for more than a decade.

“I come here for the fellowship and the lunch, and just to hang around, because there’s nothing out there to do,” Walker said. “So, you come in here and you have a good time.”

The Garner Senior Center also provides a wide range of exercise and fitness programs, arts and crafts, gardening and games.

"If you think about it, we're working with people age 55 all the way up to - I just spoke to somebody that was 94. So we're doing programming for a very wide range of older adults. some very active, some not as," Blackmar said.

And just as importantly for many seniors, it provides a place to find companionship and conversation.

“If you need a place to go, you don’t have anything to do, you’re bored staying at home, come over to Garner Senior Center,” Walker said. “We’ll welcome you with open arms.”

U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, (D) NC-2, said she's visited the Garner Senior Center many times.

“I know how important it is to the community, and I know how many people's lives it touches,” Ross said. "It's just a place that is so welcoming."

WakeMed to receive $6 million

Much of the $27 million for Wake County projects will go to other public health projects. WakeMed is due to receive $6 million toward a new behavioral hospital to meet the growing need for mental health and substance abuse treatment. Ross submitted the requests.

“We knew that we needed more mental health beds with the closing of Dorothea Dix, that need became even more acute,” Ross said. “And then, of course, during the pandemic, we've seen just a huge spike in the need for mental health beds, particularly for our young people.”

Ross also said she believes state lawmakers need to step up with Medicaid expansion.

“What we can do at the federal level is support all the efforts that Wake County is putting into, making sure that people who are in most in need of health care get the services that they need,” Ross said.

WakeMed provided WRAL News with a statement about the funding it is due to receive.

“WakeMed is grateful for this funding and the support of our elected local, state, and federal officials to address critical needs – like equity and access to mental health services – in Wake County,” the statement read. “This transformative investment will help WakeMed’s development of a mental health hospital, a vital resource for our communities, while closing the access gap and supporting our growing population.

“We will continue to have meaningful conversations with our elected officials to ensure we are able to meet the needs of our communities with specialized inpatient and outpatient care and services for mental health and co-occurring disorders.”

New public health building, upgrades to St. Aug's public health education center

Wake County will also get $2 million for a new public health building to expand its safety-net services.

Saint Augustine’s University, an HBCU in Raleigh, is also due to receive $500,000 to upgrade its public health education center.