WASHINGTON – Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that the United Way of Genesee County has been awarded a $200,000 federal grant to finance the Weed and Seed Program.  The U.S. Department of Justice awarded the grant to the United Way’s Flint Eastside Weed and Seed Partnership to help fight against the use of illegal drugs and drug-related crime in Flint’s Eastside community.  This is the Flint Eastside Weed and Seed Partnership’s fourth grant award since it received Justice Department recognition in 2002.

“The Weed and Seed Program has been successful nationwide in helping communities like Flint stem the tide of illegal drugs and violent crime in our neighborhoods,” said Kildee.  “In order to win the war against drugs, we must continue to provide law enforcement agencies with the necessary resources and tools to help eradicate the usage of illegal drugs in our city.”

The Flint Eastside Weed and Seed Partnership will use this grant money to fund four main strategic goals: 1) Reduce drug-related crimes and seek the forfeitures of real and personal property used by drug traffickers. 2) Reduce domestic violence through the use of undercover stings and citizen reporting. 3) Reduce robberies and felony property crimes by working with community churches and organizations to increase safe haven locations. 4) Improve deteriorating neighborhoods by increasing home ownership.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Weed and Seed Program was developed to demonstrate an innovative and comprehensive approach to law enforcement and community revitalization, and to prevent and control violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in target areas.  The program attempts to “weed” out violent crime, gang activity, and drug use and trafficking in target areas, and then “seed” the target area by restoring the neighborhood through social and economic revitalization.  To achieve this goal, Weed and Seed integrates law enforcement, community policing, prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration efforts.