A White House event highlights federal resources to meet community needs
KALAMAZOO, Mich., Oct. 12, 2022 — State Rep. Julie M. Rogers (D-Kalamazoo) attended a summit at the White House today to learn about the positive impact recent federal legislation will have on Michigan and advocate on behalf of her constituents. The event, Communities in Action: Building a Better Michigan, featured invitees including local and state elected officials, and leaders from labor and community organizations.
“I am honored to be representing the people of Kalamazoo at the White House,” Rogers said. “I’ve seen the difference that funding secured by the Biden administration has made to our community. For example, the historic investment of federal funds in water infrastructure has enabled Kalamazoo and communities across our state to speed up the replacement of lead service lines. This will have a lasting effect on the health and wellbeing of Michiganders for generations.”
Zaneta Adams, director of the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, also attended the summit. “The future is promising for Michigan veterans,” Adams said. “We took on the Governor’s Challenge in 2020, and with Gov. Whitmer’s support, we have been working hard to reach more veterans and provide more suicide prevention resources to our Michigan communities. With the passage of the PACT Act, the largest and most comprehensive toxic exposure legislation ever signed into law, we estimate this could benefit more than 100,000 Michigan veterans. The MVAA recently was awarded the Staff Sergeant Fox grant from the VA, which will help us turn the tide on reducing veteran suicide. I applaud the Biden administration for inviting diverse voices to the table, including Rep. Rogers, to discuss how their initiatives are impacting all Michiganders, including veterans.”
“As a health care provider, one of the great needs I see in our community has been for additional mental health support,” Rogers said. “I applaud the Biden administration for getting ARPA dollars out directly to local units of government. Kalamazoo County was able to take advantage of this by creating a 23-hour behavioral health crisis clinic.”
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