Louisville's Smoketown neighborhood to get $2.1 million in federal funding

LOUSIVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Smoketown neighborhood is getting some major investments from the federal government.

It is an investment that is providing a lot of hope to the neighborhood.

"I've lived here for 12 years," said Ellen Sloan.

Sloan is a longtime Smoketown resident and recently started filling a void in the neighborhood.

"Yeah, you know, I've become the candy lady. Everybody knows Ms. Ellen, and I give out, you know, freeze pops, free chips, and drinks to the kids especially now that it's so warm," said Sloan.

After years of limitations, the neighborhood will soon have more options.

"It's hard to argue with the benefits that this project will bring to Smoketown and to Louisville," said U.S. Congressman John Yarmuth.

Thursday morning, Yarmuth announced YouthBuild Louisville will receive $2.1 million in federal funding.

Of that money, $1.5 million is coming from the U.S. Department of Labor to fund educational, vocational and social services for people ages 18-24. The remaining $600,000 will be used to transform a vacant property at the intersection of East Breckinridge and South Hancock streets into a laundromat and community space. That center will focus on economic well being, social support and community safety.

"To combine that with a community center where people can get counseling on how to start a business and get other kinds of health care opportunities and so forth while they're waiting for their laundry to be done, it's actually a really good concept," Yarmuth said.

YouthBuild hopes to open the laundromat in the next few weeks as work continues on the community center.