SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — California Recovery Task Force Director Rick Rice yesterday (Sept. 1) issued the following statement after over $3.6 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funds were awarded by the United States Department of Agriculture to recipients across California:

“The funds awarded today will aid in reigniting California’s economy by creating jobs and improving infrastructure in rural communities. I congratulate today’s recipients and applaud their dedication to improving our schools, medical centers and fire stations.”

The $242.3 million in Recovery Act projects announced today are funded through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program and will be matched with $58.4 million from other sources. Funding of individual recipients is contingent upon their meeting the terms of the loan or grant agreement. Below is a complete list of the selected recipients from California:

Boys and Girls Clubs of The Sequoias: $63,630 grant. The funding will be used to renovate a commercial kitchen.

City of San Joaquin: $162,690 grant. The funding will be used to renovate and expand a public works building.

Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District: $63,750 grant. The funding will be used to replace an obsolete cold food storage unit with a larger and more efficient unit.

Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District: $130,350 grant. The funding will be used to replace an obsolete cold food storage unit with a larger and more efficient unit.

Marshall Medical Center: $3,000,000 loan. The funding will be used to purchase medical equipment.

Orange Cove Fire Protection District: $41,900 grant. The funding will be used to retrofit a fire station.

Palacios Community Center: $90,000 grant. The funding will be used to renovate a community center to meet accessibility standards.

San Jose Community & Bea Main Learning Center: $27,000 grant. The funding will be used to purchase a fire sprinkler system for a community center.

Southern Humboldt Community Health Care District: $61,875 grant. The funding will be used to purchase health record management equipment for a critical access hospital.

Strathmore Union Elementary School District: $48,750 grant. The funding will be used to renovate an elementary school cafeteria.

Governor Schwarzenegger created the California Recovery Task Force to track the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding coming into the state; work with President Barack Obama’s administration; help cities, counties, non-profits, and others access the available funding; ensure that the funding funneled through the state is spent efficiently and effectively; and maintain a Web site (www.recovery.ca.gov) that is frequently and thoroughly updated for Californians to be able to track the stimulus dollars.