Lori Trahan plays rainmaker

By: Staff Report 

U.S. REP. Lori Trahan continues to make good on her promises to invest in 3rd Congressional District projects, recently securing $20.7 million in federal funding for community projects across the district.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, passed the House and Senate, was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 29.

It’s another big allocation from the congresswoman, who was sworn into her third term on Saturday.

“I go to work every day looking for ways to deliver federal resources for local economic development and infrastructure projects that will improve the lives of folks across the Third District,” Trahan said in a statement. “These investments will undoubtedly make our district a better place to call home, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work our partners and my team have done to get them across the finish line. I look forward to collaborating with community leaders to get these funds released as soon as possible so we can start putting them to work here at home.”

Among the 15 projects set to receive funding, local readers will find these of note:

• Community Teamwork, Inc.: $3 million to support CTI’s efforts to provide emergency housing for Lowell families through the commonwealth’s Emergency Assistance Family Shelter Program.

• Cawley Stadium: $3 million to assist with the renovation of the stadium grandstands and locker rooms, which is Phase 2 in the rehabilitation of the 68-acre Martin Athletic Complex.

• Community Health Connections: $2.5 million to support the establishment of a dedicated service line for children’s mental health, including outpatient individual, family, and group therapy services, psychiatry, in-school therapy, therapeutic case management, peer mentoring and parenting classes.

• Boys & Girls Clubs, districtwide: $2.2 million to support important workforce development projects at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lowell, Haverhill, MetroWest and Gardner.

• Town of Dracut: $1.5 million to support Dracut’s plan to cap its landfill, which will enable the site to be reutilized.

• Town of Acton: $750,000 to restore the historic Asa Parlin House to provide event space to facilitate meetings, library programing and culture events, to maintain the historic integrity and visual impact from Woodbury Lane, and to restore the appearance of the municipal complex that also houses the Town Hall and Memorial Library.

• Center for Hope and Healing, Inc.: $505,813 to support the Lowell Ending Trafficking of Youth (LET YOUTH) project that provides comprehensive services to address the needs for safety, security and healing to all minor survivors of human trafficking in Greater Lowell.

• Minute Man Arc for Human Services: $331,110 to support “Bridge to Bright Futures,” a new project to address isolation, lack of congregate day services, and caregiver burden for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

During her October debate against Republican challenger Dean Tran, Trahan touted her ability to rain money down on her district.

“Projects are getting approved as we speak,” Trahan told the audience. “I’m going to fight for (my district) because there is enough money in this bill to go around. It got done under this administration, it got done with this Congress. And these communities — the 37 communities in the 3rd Congressional District — are finally going to get the investment from the federal government that they deserve.”