Thanks to Moore High School Cheerleaders for Joining Us at the BJ's Grand Opening

FY26 External Agency Fund Grants - Applications Now Open

External Agency Fund (EAF) grants are a critical initiative by Louisville Metro Government to support local organizations that deliver essential services and programs across our community. By providing financial resources to nonprofit agencies, the EAF grants help foster a safer, stronger, more vibrant, and equitable Louisville. The grants are specifically designed to address critical needs, including social services, youth development, and arts and culture. Each of the three EAF grant programs align with the city’s strategic priorities and reflect our commitment to improving the quality of life for all residents:

1. Community Services Funding: Supports agencies providing homelessness prevention and mitigation as well as essential services that enhance the quality of life for residents, particularly those addressing basic needs and promoting self-sufficiency. For more information, visit the Community Services Grant Page.
2. Arts + Creative Industries Funding: Funds organizations that contribute to the cultural vitality of Louisville through arts, heritage, and creative industry initiatives. For more information, visit the Arts + Creative Industries Grant Page.
3. Youth Engagement Services (YES!) Funding: Aims to assist programs dedicated to violence reduction and the development and well-being of the city’s youth, fostering positive growth and opportunities. For more information, visit the YES! Grant Page.

Link to Fiscal Year 2026 External Agency Fund Grants Kickoff Webinar Recording January 27, 2025.

The EAF programs operate through competitive grant processes, ensuring that public funds are allocated responsibly to organizations that demonstrate the ability to make a meaningful impact. Through these grants, Louisville Metro Government seeks to strengthen partnerships with community organizations and invest in programs that promote stability, growth, and opportunity. Whether addressing urgent needs like housing and violence prevention or supporting youth empowerment and cultural enrichment, EAF funding enables community organizations to expand their reach and deepen their impact.

Fiscal Year 2026 Grants

Louisville Metro Government is excited to announce the start of our Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) EAF cycle for grants covering the period of July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026.

The deadline for application submission for FY26 is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 3, 2025.

Your Guide To Section 8 - February 25th

Meet Your Legislators at Cafe Louie

Meet Councilwoman Mulvey-Woolridge at the Bon Air Library on March 8th!

Café LOUIE is designed to be an informal gathering of civic minded individuals interested in meeting with their elected officials to discuss local issues. When you arrive, grab a cup of Heine Brothers coffee and fill out a notecard with your specific question(s). After a brief introduction of elected officials and special guests, a trained facilitator will direct your questions to officials for comment and discussion.

All Café LOUIE meetings begin at 9am. Stick around after the event for additional programming available at some branch locations, register to vote with the League of Women Voters, sign up to be a Friend of the Library, or just visit your local branch and check out a good book!

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Offers Free Tax Help to Eligible Louisville Residents

The Louisville Asset Building Coalition’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides trained, IRS-certified volunteers who offer free tax services at 15 sites across the city. VITA is available to individuals and families who earned less than $67,000 in 2024.

Since its launch in 2001, the VITA program has helped more than 154,000 Louisville tax filers. Last year, VITA volunteers processed more than 8,800 returns, adding more than $10 million to the local economy, including $3 million in Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to residents.

Partner organizations that help hardworking families file their tax returns, include the Metro Office for Resilience and Community Services (RCS). Metro RCS connects tax filers to an array of financial empowerment services through its Office of Financial Empowerment, which leads the Louisville Financial Empowerment Center and the Tax Time Connect initiative with Bank On Louisville.

Eligible Louisville residents can make an appointment or visit any of these VITA sites for in-person free tax filing:

• Americana Community Center, 4801 Southside Dr.
• Bates Memorial Baptist Church, 728 East Lampton St.
• Edison Center, 701 W. Ormsby Ave., Ste 201
• Family Scholar House U of L, 403 Reg Smith Circle
• Family Scholar House Riverport, 3311 Cathe Dykstra Way
• Goodwill East Broadway Opportunity Center - 909 E. Broadway
• Goodwill South Louisville Opportunity Center - 6201 Preston Hwy.
• Louisville Urban League, 1535 W. Broadway
• Oldham County LaGrange Library, 308 Yager Avenue (LaGrange)
• Portland Promise Center, 1831 Baird St.
• Shively City Hall, 3920 Dixie Hwy.
• Vincent de Paul Family Success Center, 1029 S Preston Hwy.
• Sun Valley Community Center, 6505 Bethany Lane
• United Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 State St.
• Wesley House Community Services, 5114 Preston Hwy.

In addition to these sites, VITA volunteers will be operating mobile locations around the city:

• John Center, 700 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd. (open April 4, and April 11 – 1pm-3pm)
• Facilities Management Services, 1500 Lytle St. (open Feb. 10, Feb. 24, and March 10 – 9am-noon)
• Goodwill West Louisville Opportunity Center - 2820 W. Broadway (open every Friday Feb. 7 through March 7, 10am-2pm)
• Family Scholar House, 1309 Catalpa St. (open March 15, 9am-5pm)

To schedule an appointment for in-person tax assistance, call 502-305-0005 or visit https://louisvillekyvita.cascheduler.com. For more details, including days and hours of drop off services, visit https://labcservices.org/.

Residents can also choose to have their taxes prepared at MyFreeTaxes.com, which provides a free self-file program offered in partnership by United Way Worldwide and TaxSlayer.

AARP Tax-Aide also provides free tax prep services, with special attention to people age 60 and older. AARP Tax-Aide sites will begin operating at eight sites in early February. For more information, visit http://www.aarp-tax-aide-lou.org.

Test Your Home For Radon

Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. According to estimates from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Surgeon General’s office, radon is linked to over 20,000 lung cancer deaths annually.

The challenge with radon exposure is that there are often no immediate symptoms, meaning health issues may take years to manifest. The only reliable method to assess whether you and your family are at risk of radon exposure is to have your home tested. Be sure to order your free radon test kit.

Closed-house conditions

• Make sure all exterior doors and windows are closed 12 hours prior to testing.
• All exterior doors and windows are to remain closed during the entirety of the test.
• Regular entry/exit of your home is permitted
• Learn about ways to test your home

How radon enters your home

Radon is a naturally occurring gas that results from the radioactive decay of uranium. This element can be found in rocks, soil, and, in certain instances, groundwater. Due to its many sources, individuals can be easily exposed to radon. Exposure may occur through inhaling outdoor air, being indoors in buildings and homes, or through ingestion via food and water. It can infiltrate buildings through cracks, exposing occupants to radiation that may cause significant health issues. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) outlines various pathways through which radon can enter buildings:

• Cracks in solid floors and walls
• Construction joints
• Gaps in suspended floors
• Gaps around service pipes
• Cavities inside walls
• The water supply

For more information, please visit our radon website. You can also watch a WDRB interview about the importance of radon testing in your home.

February is Heart Month - Love Your Heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Most middle-aged and young adults have one or more risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or being a smoker or overweight. Having multiple risk factors increases your risk of heart disease. The good news is that there’s a lot we can do to prevent it.

Connecting with Others is Good for Your Heart

Research shows that people with close relationships at home, work, or in their community tend to be healthier and live longer. One reason, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is that we’re more successful at meeting our health goals when we work on them with others.

Feeling connected with others and having positive, close relationships benefit our overall health, including our blood pressure and weight. Having people in our lives who motivate and care for us helps, as do feelings of closeness and companionship.

Lifestyle Tips

Here are some facts, how-to tips, and resources to inspire you to join with others, even if you can’t be physically together, to improve your heart health. Follow these lifestyle tips to protect your heart.

• Be more physically active.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat a nutritious diet.
• Quit smoking.
• Manage stress.
• Get 7-9 hours of quality sleep.
• Track your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar numbers.

You don’t have to make big changes all at once. Small steps will get you where you want to go.

Move More

Invite family, friends, colleagues, or members of your community to join you in your efforts to be more physically active:

• Ask a colleague to walk “with you” regularly, put the date on both your calendars, and text or call to make sure you both get out for a walk.
• Get a friend or family member to sign up for the same online exercise class, such as a dance class. Make it a regular date!
• Grab your kids, put on music, and do jumping jacks, skip rope, or dance in your living room or yard.

How much is enough? Aim for at least 2½ hours of physical activity each week — that’s just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. In addition, do muscle-strengthening exercises 2 days a week. Can’t carve out a lot of time in your day? Try doing 10 minutes of physical activity at least three times a day. NHLBI’s Move More fact sheet has ideas to get and keep you moving.

Eat Heart-Healthy

We tend to eat like our friends and family, so ask others close to you to join in your effort to eat healthier. Follow NHLBI’s Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. Research shows that, compared to a typical American diet, it lowers high blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels. Find delicious recipes at NHLBI’s Heart-Healthy Eating webpage.

Quit Smoking

To help you quit, ask others for support or join an online support group. Research shows that people are much more likely to quit if their spouse, friend, or sibling does. Social support online can help you quit. All states have quit lines with trained counselors — call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). You’ll find many free resources to help you quit, such as apps, a motivational text service, and a chat line at BeTobaccoFree.hhs.gov and Smokefree.gov.

If you need extra motivation to quit, consider those around you: Breathing other people’s smoke, called secondhand smoke, is dangerous. Many adult nonsmokers die of stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke.

MSD - Check Your Availability for 30% Off Wastewater Charges

Enroll Today! Contact them today to check your eligibility for the Emergency Wastewater Rate Assistance Program.
Email MSDCAP@louisvillemsd.org or call 502-540-6635.

Alcoholic Beverage Control Notifications

Ad Date: 1/24/2025      30-Day Date: 2/23/2025

Protest must be submitted by: LMPD 7th Division

PUBLIC NOTICE

Rio Grand Supermercado LLC, 9304 Blue lick rd Louisville KY 40229, Hereby declares intention(s) to apply for a NQ Melt Beer beverages sell by packages. license(s) no later than January 22, 2025. The business to be licensed will be located at 9304 Blue Lick Rd Louisville Ky 40229, Kentucky 40229 doing business as Rio Grande Supermercado LLC. The owner(s) are as follows: Taymoor Hauter 7337 Leisure Court Louisville KY 40229. Any person, association, corporation, or body politic, may protest the granting of the license(s) by writing the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 500 Mero St 2NE33, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601 , within thirty (30) days of the date of legal publication. January 24, 2025 LSBN0227129

Library Offerings for January and February

Maker Lab Open Hours - January and February

Teen Time - Mondays

Beginner's Adventure Club - February 8th

Teen Volunteer Board - February 8th

Club de Lectura (Heine Brothers de Outer Loop) - February 10th

El Circulo En Espanol - February 11th

El Club de Abuelos - February 11th

Kids' Crafter Noons - February 13th

February's Collider Artist - Designing Arts Futures: Reimagining Creative Placemaking for Louisville - February 15th

Experts' Adventure Club - February 22nd

Cocoa (and Crafting) Club - February 27th

For further information on Councilwoman Ginny Mulvey-Woolridge or District 24 please visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/metro-council-district-24

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