State Announces Funding for Education and Training Programs

• by New York State Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance

ALBANY, NY (06/24/2009)(readMedia)-- The State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) today announced that, through an unprecedented public/private partnership, it has awarded nearly $4 million in federal funding to expand work-focused education and training services for low-income New Yorkers receiving Food Stamps.

OTDA has awarded $3.97 million to 17 organizations across the state through the Food Stamp Employment and Training Venture to provide job skills training, as well as basic education, vocational and technical skills training. Those receiving funding were required to match their awards dollar for dollar, with many relying on private funding from foundations, meaning nearly $8 million total is going to support these efforts.

"The commitment of OTDA and Governor Paterson to ensure that low-income New Yorkers have the skills they need to succeed in the workforce is unwavering," said OTDA Commissioner David A. Hansell. "I am especially pleased that we have been able to leverage significant private resources to help support this mission in these difficult economic times."

The programs are designed to help unemployed or underemployed Food Stamp recipients enter and advance in the workforce, on a path to self-sufficiency. Targeted populations include ex-offenders, those with a history of substance abuse, individuals with limited English proficiency and those without a high school diploma or equivalent.

Through its Working Families Food Stamp Initiative and other efforts to increase access, and because of the downturn in the economy, OTDA has achieved record enrollment of eligible households in the Food Stamp Program, with 1.2 million households and nearly 2.3 million individuals receiving food stamps as of March 2009. This new funding will expand services to those food stamp recipients needing additional job skills to address the challenges of becoming or remaining employed in this difficult economic climate.

This latest effort builds on Governor Paterson's unprecedented commitment to job training in the current state budget, with $20 million in funding above last year's allocations for OTDA's various work-related programs. The budget also includes an additional $20 million in new funding for a Green Jobs Program, Health Care Jobs Program, new Transitional Jobs Program and Nurse Family Partnership Program.

Organizations that have been awarded funding are listed below:

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