New York, NY (June 28, 2018) — Seedco announced today that it has been awarded $6 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Re-Entry Employment Opportunity Program to serve a total of 760 justice-involved individuals in four states: New York, Arkansas, Tennessee and Maryland. The programs will launch in July 2018 and operate through 2021.
Seedco was awarded:
- $4,358,210 to serve 570 justice-involved young adults ages 18 to 24 in West Baltimore, MD; South Bronx, NY; Memphis, TN; and West Memphis, AR
- $1,496,779 to serve 190 justice-involved adults in Memphis, TN and West Memphis, AR
The programs will provide participants with a range of services including:
- Long-term career case management
- Job readiness, placement, retention and advancement
- Occupational training and credential attainment
- Financial coaching
- Mentoring and life skills
- Parenting services
- Enrollment in public benefits using Seedco’s EarnBenefits Online technology
- Connections to behavioral health, literacy/high school equivalency and substance abuse programs
- Legal services
The programs will utilize a Career Pathways model that leads to industry-recognized credentials in three in-demand sectors: 1) Transportation/Distribution/Logistics, 2) Food Industry, and 3) Construction.
“It can often be incredibly challenging for people who have moved through the justice system to find stable and supportive pathways to a career,” said Tara Colton, Executive Director of Seedco. “Seedco is thrilled to bring our comprehensive reentry program model to more communities across the country. Through these programs, we will be able to help even more people succeed by providing training, support, and guidance to enter and thrive in the working world.”
“Seedco’s work in the arena of justice-involved individuals continues to improve and enhance opportunities for the clients they serve. We are pleased that this award will allow their innovative work to make an even greater impact!” stated Raul Russi, CEO of Acacia Network, the leading Latino integrated care nonprofit in the nation. Seedco is an Acacia Network affiliate.
Seedco’s program models are designed to meet the distinct needs of justice-involved individuals, including stigma related to employment due to past criminal convictions; scheduling challenges; gaps in employment or no employment history; housing instability; and mental health issues. Seedco uses a holistic, strengths-based approach to achieving stability and self-sufficiency.
Learn more about the 2018 USDOL grant awards here.
This funding builds on Seedco’s three current re-entry programs funded by the U.S. Department of Labor:
Mid-South Career Pathways Collaborative, $1.36 million awarded in 2015 to serve 170 adults in work release programs in Memphis, TN through USDOL’s Training to Work/Reentry for Ex-Offenders (T2W3)
West Baltimore Career Pathways Collaborative, $1.36 million awarded in 2016 to serve 170 adults in work release programs in Baltimore, MD through USDOL’s Training to Work/Reentry for Ex-Offenders (T2W4). Seedco leads this program in close partnership with Bon Secours Community Works in West Baltimore, which will also serve as a sub-grantee on the new grant.
Turning Point, $1.48 million awarded in 2017 to serve 190 justice-involved young adults ages 18 to 24 in Memphis, TN through USDOL’s Young Adult Reentry Project.
About Seedco
Founded in 1987, Seedco is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing economic opportunity for people, businesses, and communities in need. Seedco serves many different communities, from rural farmland to urban centers, across six states: Tennessee, Maryland, New York, Arkansas, Georgia and Connecticut. Seedco operates as both a direct services provider and an intermediary organization, helping community-based organizations expand outreach and secure funding. Seedco is an affiliate of the Acacia Network. Learn more at www.www.seedco.org
About Acacia Network, Inc.
Acacia Network, the leading Latino integrated care nonprofit in the nation, offers the community, from children to seniors, a pathway to behavioral and primary healthcare, housing, and empowerment. We are visionary leaders transforming the triple aim of high quality, great experience at a lower cost. Acacia champions a collaborative environment to deliver vital health, housing and community building services, work we have been doing since 1969.