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.