The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
today announced that $16 million in funding is being used to provide
work-focused education and training services to low-income New Yorkers
receiving Food Stamps.
OTDA is awarding $8 million in federal funding through the Food
Stamp Employment and Training Venture Program to 36 organizations
statewide that will each contribute an equal amount of funding,
doubling the program's capacity.
"Restoring New York's economy remains a top priority and a
key part of that is making sure we meet the labor market's demand
for skilled workers that can quickly adapt into the workplace,"
said OTDA Executive Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Berlin. "The
education and training being provided with these funds will help
struggling individuals acquire the skills that employers seek and
allow them to better compete for employment. Programs like these
help unemployed and underemployed Food Stamp recipients enter and
advance in the workforce on a path to self-sufficiency."
This innovative effort leverages federal funding for organizations
that can provide eligible funds from private and public sources,
without a commitment of State funds.
The Food Stamp Employment and Training Venture Program is designed
to help Food Stamp recipients gain the skills they need to succeed
in the job market. Efforts are targeted to individuals who are unemployed
or underemployed with significant barriers to employment, including
ex-offenders, those with a history of substance abuse, individuals
with limited English proficiency and eligible youth between the
ages of 16 to 24.
The funding can be used to provide job readiness assistance, job
skills training, vocational education and training, work experience
and subsidized employment. Those enrolled in the programs will also
receive case management services including employability assessments,
assistance with child care and transportation arrangements, and
financial planning and management as needed to support service delivery.
In the North Country, $300,000 has been allocated to St. Lawrence-Lewis
BOCES to operate program.