skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Grant to Connect Low-Income IL Job Seekers to Employers

play audio
Play

Monday, March 30, 2015   

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois will be expanding efforts to connect low-income job seekers to resources that can help them secure employment. The state is receiving nearly $22 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to test an employment-and-training program.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Regional Administrator Tim English says the program will assist participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in finding jobs with local businesses.

"This effort is really about helping people develop the skills they need to find good-paying jobs," says English. "Hopefully that can lead to self-sufficiency, which can ultimately lead to them not needing to rely on the program anymore."

The grant was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, and Illinois is among the 10 states receiving a total of $200 million for the pilot projects. In Illinois, more than one million households currently receive SNAP benefits.

The funding will enable the Illinois Department of Human Service to roll out its Job Training and Economic Development program into seven areas of the state. English say it's currently a small-scale program that boosts economic development by linking businesses to prospective employees.

"One of the reasons it was attractive is that it was a proven model that Illinois was already using and it was a matter of just building upon that and expanding what was available," he says. "Illinois' project also looks at seven areas around the state, so it's urban and rural opportunities."

English says SNAP recipients face various barriers to finding work, including long-term unemployment, homelessness, and physical or emotional challenges. He says the job-training program takes a holistic approach to case management by assessing the job seeker's needs and then placing the client in an accelerated adult education program, technical training or a work-based learning pathway.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …


A 2022 report finds failing to speed up transmission beyond the current pace will increase 2030 U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by 800 million tons per year. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021