LONG BRANCH, January 25, 2008 -- NJ Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow today announced a significant initiative to help New Jersey workers compete for better jobs, through a literacy skills grant awarded to the Long Branch Housing Authority.

“The grant, one of four awarded to NJ housing authorities that receive HOPE VI funding, is an important part of Governor Jon S. Corzine’s economic growth strategy,” said Commissioner Socolow. “NJ is committing nearly $100,000 to assist lower-wage workers in Long Branch to strengthen the foundation of basic skills on which they can build career ladders and become more competitive in the workplace.”

This literacy grant will provide training to current Long Branch Housing Authority residents in such basic skills as work readiness, basic communication and reading skills, mathematics and basic personal computer skills.  Many housing authority residents work for small businesses that might not otherwise apply individually for a grant to train their workers.  This initiative provides these workers with a unique opportunity to obtain training, without an in-kind contribution from the grantee.  Individuals receiving Section 8 vouchers also are eligible to receive the training.

 “The Work Readiness Program is a continuance of the City of Long Branch Housing Authority’s efforts to increase self-sufficiency among the residents in our community,” said Tyrone Garret, Executive Director, Long Branch Housing Authority.

“We are pleased to be a part of this collaborative effort with the Department of Labor to provide training to Long Branch Housing Authority clients.  Courses will be offered at Brookdale’s newly renovated Long Branch Higher Education Center, making this partnership a prime example of Brookdale’s commitment to opportunity with excellence and accessibility,” says Dr. Peter F. Burnham, President, Brookdale Community College.

Three other housing authorities, including Camden, Jersey City and Paterson, successfully applied to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development and will be awarded similar literacy skills grants totaling $233,000 to train 240 individual workers.

The NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development has requested grant proposals from New Jersey housing authorities receiving HOPE VI funding.  Competitive grants up to $100,000 are available to provide training in basic skills to residents served by these housing authorities.

The HOPE VI program, implemented in 1993 by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, seeks to transform public housing by eradicating dilapidated public housing and replacing it with mixed-income, mixed-use revitalized communities.

For more information on this grant and other training initiatives of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development please visit our website at: www.nj.gov/labor

Click to view photos of the event

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