New London — With $26.2 million flowing to the city in federal pandemic aid, local social services organizations continue to vie for a chance to fund initiatives that otherwise might be out of reach.

The city has received a dozen new funding requests totaling nearly $1 million — everything from $127,250 for a mobile lunch truck idea from the New London Community Meal Center to a $156,000 request from the Human Services Department to provide seniors free rides on the city’s new NL Smart Ride bus.

The new proposals have come in after the City Council voted in October to approve the first $13.1 million in funding and a broad budget outline for use of all of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The money in New London is being spread across a wide range of categories to fund everything from community policing efforts and public works projects to economic development initiatives and park improvements.

Human Services Director Jeanne Milstein said a human services committee set up to choose funding recipients is working with $1.4 million in first-year funding and attempting to prioritize the numerous ideas brought forward, many coming from nonprofits.

Milstein said her committee prioritizes mental health, housing, food and immigration. The committee received 22 ideas and of those, 12 organizations were asked to submit formal proposals and detailed budgets by Dec. 27.

“We will then as a committee decide who we would recommend to the council for funding," she said. "Not all of the organizations may be receiving funds at this time.”

The committee is composed of Milstein; City Council President Efrain Dominguez; Alliance for Living Director of Housing Frank Silva; All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church pastor Carolyn Paterno; Hearing Youth Voices organizing director Maya Sheppard; former City Councilor Curtis Goodwin and Zakkyya Williams of Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

Part of the criteria of the human services funding is that representatives from organizations who receive money meet for monthly workshops. Milstein said there needs to be accountability and assurances that the funds are being used to maximum effectiveness.

The newest proposals submitted to the city include a $250,000 request from Safe Futures to support construction of The Center for Safe Futures, a family justice center with comprehensive services under one roof for domestic violence victims. Gerald King of 010 Media LLC has requested $300,000 for an after-school program to support students' social, emotional and mental health needs through the creation of student-led podcasts. Thames River Heritage Park has requested $25,000 to support the operating expenses of the newly refurbished water taxi.

Finance Director David McBride said the city’s existing budget for ARPA funds is subject to change and some of the contracts and agreements must still come before the City Council for final approval.

McBride said that as of mid-December, however, the funding requests already have exceeded the $26.2 million total.

For New London Community Meal Center Executive Director Maryann Martinez, her group’s funding request would help jump-start an idea to reach more people who perhaps do not have the means to reach the center on Montauk Avenue.

She said the people who do eat meals at the center perhaps don’t fully represent the demographic in need, people without transportation or single mothers without the means. She said the center plans to work with local partners to identify where the meal truck might best be used and the idea could reach into neighboring towns.

“Many have said they would eat here more if they didn’t have such a hard time getting to Montauk Avenue once a day, never mind twice a day,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be great if we were going to them instead?"

Martinez also has pitched the idea of developing a “Nourishing Networks New London,” in which she envisions a collaboration of charitable organizations, social workers, gardeners and volunteers to address the root causes of hunger.

The City Council is expected to take up some of the proposals at future meetings. Other social services-related organizations seeking funding include The Arc Eastern Connecticut, New London Food Coalition and Thames Valley Council for Community Action.

g.smith@theday.com