Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio has proposed $1.1 million in new funding next year that she says is aimed at reducing racial disparities. That includes the following:
- $470,000 to create two primary care clinics in high poverty areas in south and east Charlotte operated by StarMed Healthcare and The Blessing Foundation
- $389,000 to expand food security initiatives in the Public Health Department, including programs that give people money to purchase produce at grocery stores and farmers' markets
- $100,000 for the Our Smile Dental Collaborative at the Lake Norman Community Health Clinic
- $84,000 to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library to boost pay for bilingual staff to improve service to non-English speakers
Diorio calls reducing racial disparities “a cross-cutting factor” in her budget that shows up in other areas. That includes increasing access to healthy food, providing small business owners access to capital, and through the county’s Community Service Grants which provide social services to families.
Diorio presented the budget earlier this month. County commissioners are expected to approve a budget on June 22.