The Montgomery County Recovery Office has begun the process of allocating $161 million in federal funds received in the aftermath of COVID-19. Rachel Ravina invested her wealth of journalistic skill in reporting the story for The Times Herald.

Recent recipients include ACLAMO — a provider of education, social services, and health-wellness programs to the county’s Latino population — and the YWCA of Pottstown. Both investments were to acquire real estate, said county Recovery Officer Tom Bonner.

The announcement of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act led to an application process for requests and a series of Montgomery County forums in which residents had a say about allocations. That feedback was collated into an Aug. report that identified 112 county projects gaining support.

The decision-making process prioritized:

• New initiatives
• Community outreaches
• Minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses
• Small commercial entities in Norristown or Pottstown
• Broader community projects related to housing, food security, emergency medical services, and call centers

“It’s great to see the money actually going out the door,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Val Arkoosh. “It’s been a long process, all of which was intending to result in the money actually going out the door and enabling our partners to make these transformative changes.”

More on the disbursements coming from the Montgomery County Recovery Office is at The Times Herald.