CT Post. By Keila Torres Ocasio. September 22, 2016
The WorkPlace has been awarded its fourth major grant in as many months, this one aimed at helping at-risk youth between the ages of 16 and 24 in Bridgeport.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced Thursday that the Bridgeport-based organization would receive a nearly $1.1 million YouthBuild grant.
In total, 77 programs in 35 states across the nation were granted $80.3 million in grants to help 5,000 at-risk youth earn a diploma or GED, earn certifications or the skills necessary to obtain a job. The grants ranged from $700,000 to $1.1 million each.
“All young people are gifted and talented, and it is everyone’s responsibility to help draw out those gifts and talents,” U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez said in a statement. “YouthBuild provides young people with an important opportunity to gain the education and skills they need for good-paying jobs, while also helping them become more engaged members of their communities. That can mean everything to a young person who didn’t get the easiest start in life.”
Tom Long, vice president of communications and development for The WorkPlace, said the two-year program had been implemented several years ago by the Bridgeport agency but its funding expired. The new funds would resurrect it and help about 65 young people.
The unemployment rate for people between 16 and 24 in the region in 33.3 percent, Long said. The organization has received significant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor and other sources over the last several months.
In June, the agency received a $3.4 million federal grant to help parents gain access to child care and for training programs.
The following month, it was awarded a $500,000 federal grant for its efforts to prepare women inmates at the York Correctional Institute in Niantic to re-enter the workforce upon their release.
And just recently, The WorkPlace was awarded $400,000 per year for two years for its Retail Career Academy, which will offer assistance and resources to people in the retail industry. That grant came from The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, made possible by the Walmart Foundation.
Long said the agency makes an effort to constantly apply for federal, local and foundation grants, as well as seeking private donations, to fund its numerous programs and expand its services even further.
“We’re always looking to do more,” he said.
http://www.ctpost.com/business/article/The-WorkPlace-gets-federal-grant-aimed-at-helping-9240204.php