South Michigan News

State Representative Kathy Schmaltz announced that the latest state budget includes funding for several projects in Washtenaw County, focusing on community development, health, and recreation.

The budget allocates $1 million to Washtenaw County and the Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative to advance work on the Border-to-Border (B2B) Trail. This trail is a paved, ADA-accessible, non-motorized pathway that links communities within the county and extends into nearby counties. The funding will target some of the more costly segments of the trail between Dexter and Ann Arbor along the Huron River. Once completed, the trail will provide connections to Wayne, Jackson, Ingham, and Livingston counties.

Another $500,000 is designated for Trinity Health’s Food is Medicine Program. This initiative aims to address food insecurity by offering healthy, locally grown food and nutrition education. The program includes “The Farm,” an effort based in Ypsilanti that supplies produce through clinics, food pantries, farm stands, and a Farm Share subscription program. The new funding will help establish a Food is Medicine Education Center to expand educational opportunities such as hands-on learning, summer camps, and classroom visits. According to project estimates, the center will serve an additional 1,500 students each year, increase class participation by 40%, and triple educational offerings.

“These are meaningful, people-focused investments that will have a lasting impact,” Schmaltz said. “The B2B Trail is a major quality-of-life project connecting neighborhoods, schools, parks, and downtowns across Washtenaw County and beyond. And Trinity Health’s Food is Medicine program is a perfect example of how local partnerships can promote healthier lives and stronger communities.”