WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the awarding of $90,992,062 through two grant programs, Pathway Home and the Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP), focused on assisting justice-involved individuals in gaining meaningful employment. U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia traveled to Boston, Massachusetts, today to make the announcement with Pathway Home grant awardee Volunteers of America of Massachusetts.
"President Trump and his Administration believe in providing a second chance to Americans who have served their time in the criminal justice system," said Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. "These grants reflect this commitment to helping all Americans find jobs and participate meaningfully in the economy. The assistance the grants provide to men and women transitioning back into society will be especially valuable as we overcome the economic challenges posed by coronavirus." "These grants support proactive and comprehensive approaches to engage justice-involved individuals seeking a second chance and a path to rewarding and sustainable careers," said Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training John Pallasch. "Research shows early and frequent engagement prior to release from incarceration reduces the risk of recidivism, so these grants are vital to stopping the revolving door of prison from turning." The Department announced the awarding of $64,395,062 in Pathway Home grants to 20 recipients serving 15 states to assist in the transition of justice-involved adults back to the workplace. Awarded under the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program, Pathway Home grants offer valuable support to organizations that provide reentry services to improve employment outcomes for adults involved in the criminal justice system. Grant recipients will offer individuals a variety of services designed to help ease their transition back to society, including education and training, job preparation, case management and needs assessments, career exploration and planning, legal assistance, counseling, and assistance connecting to other important social services.
The list of Pathway Home grant awardees is provided below: List of Pathway Home grant awardees Applicant City State Serving Award The Dannon Project Birmingham AL City of Birmingham; Jefferson, Montgomery, St. Clair, Thomasville and Wetumpka counties $4,000,000 GRID Alternatives Fresno CA Fresno, Kings, Madera and Merced counties $2,388,759 County of Ventura Human Services Ventura CA Ventura County $2,417,711 Colorado Dept. of Labor and Employment Denver CO Denver Metro and Pikes Peak $3,998,578 Opportunities Industrialization Center of South Florida Oakland Park FL Broward and Miami-Dade counties $4,000,000 Tampa Bay Academy of Hope Inc.
Tampa FL Hillsborough, Pasco and Polk counties $4,000,000 Workforce Inc.
Indianapolis IN Marion County $4,000,000 Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana New Orleans LA Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington and West Baton Rouge Parishes $3,479,989 Volunteers of America Massachusetts Inc.
Jamaica Plain MA Essex County $4,000,000 American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center Minneapolis MN North and South Minneapolis $3,220,570 Southeast Minnesota Private Industry Council (dba Workforce Development Inc.) Rochester MN Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele and Wabasha counties $1,594,300 Family Resource Center South Atlantic Raleigh NC Franklin, Halifax and Vance counties $2,572,242 Schenectady Community Action Program Schenectady NY Schenectady County $849,892 Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Columbus OH Belmont, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Marion, Montgomery and Summit counties $4,000,000 Ohio Area 7 Consortium of Chief Elected Officials Springfield OH Highland, Lawrence, Miami, Montgomery and Sandusky counties $4,000,000 The Mental Health Association of Oregon Portland OR Portland metro area $3,967,635 Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Philadelphia PA Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Norristown $4,000,000 Knoxville Leadership Foundation Knoxville TN Knox County $2,770,428 South Central Tennessee Workforce Alliance Spring Hill TN Giles, Lawrence, Maury and Wayne counties $1,630,417 Midwest Urban Strategies Milwaukee WI Wichita, KS; Kansas City, MO; and Pittsburgh, PA $3,504,541 Total $64,395,062 In addition, the Department announced the awarding of $26,597,000 in Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP) grants to help establish partnerships with community colleges and connect justice-involved young adults with apprenticeships and other opportunities in growing industries such as informational technology, healthcare and energy. By focusing on community colleges, these grants will support the development of educational programs that provide skills that meet the needs of area industries and employers. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 authorizes the REO program.
The list of awardees for the Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP) grants is provided below: List of awardees for the Young Adult Reentry Partnership (YARP) grants Applicant City State Serving Award Latino Coalition for Community Leadership Santa Barbara CA Bakersfield; Los Angeles; Orange County, CA; and Denver, CO $4,298,500 Goodwill Industries International Rockville MD North Georgia; Atlanta, GA; Louisville, KY; Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, MI; Pittsburgh, East Pittsburgh and McKeesport, PA $4,500,000 FHI 360 (dba Family Health Int’l) Durham NC Colorado Springs; Denver, CO; Baltimore, MD; Hartford, CT; Crossett, AR; and Los Angeles, CA $4,298,500 National Urban League New York NY Essex County, NJ; Hartford, CT; Fulton County, GA; New Orleans, Baton Rouge, LA; and Oklahoma City, OK $4,500,000 PathStone Corp.
Rochester NY Monroe County, Erie County, NY; Chester, Coatesville, West Chester Borough and Reading, PA $4,500,000 Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America Inc.
Philadelphia PA Philadelphia, Harrisburg, PA; Eastern Broward County, FL; and Greater Rocky Mount Area, NC $4,500,000 Total $26,597,000 ETA administers federal government job training and worker dislocation programs, federal grants to states for public employment service programs, and unemployment insurance benefits. State and local workforce development systems primarily provide these services.
The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
