JONESBORO — In its Tuesday, Sept. 5 regular meeting, the Clayton County Board of Commissioners approved to reallocate American Rescue Plan Act money from the closed Rainbow House.
The county will reallocate $180,594 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Home ARPA COVID-19 funds to Hearts to Nourish Hope. The money will be used for its Bridge Stabilization Program to help provide housing assistance for low-income families impact by COVID-19.
Hearts to Nourish Hope non-profit organization with campuses in Riverdale and Duluth.
In an Aug. 1 meeting, the County Commission ended its lease agreement with Rainbow House and in May, reallocated $27,507.50 from the Rainbow House to the Parks and Recreation Department.
The $27,507.50 was to be used for a mental health program at the shelter. The Parks and Recreation Department will use the money for outdoor modular restrooms.
The money had to be used before June 30 to keep from losing funds from HUD. The money must also be spent on a public service applicant that is already in the funding program.
In March, four suspects were arrested in connection with sexual misconduct and a cover-up of those allegations at the Rainbow House — a temporary shelter for abused, neglected, and abandoned children.
One suspect, Caleb Xavier Randolph, 25, was arrested March 16 on charges of child molestation, statutory rape, sexual assault of a person over whom have supervisory/disciplinary authority over and sexual assault by facility employee/agent/volunteer.
His mother and Rainbow House Executive Director Mia Kimber and Director of the Child Advocacy Center Monica Jones were arrested on March 18 and March 20, respectively. Both were charged with party to a crime of child molestation, statutory rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and mandated reporting.
A fourth employee, Felicia Campbell, was…
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