Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse is getting $1.7 million from New York state to fund anti-poverty work in the city.
The money, announced today, is from the state’s Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative.
Syracuse was one of 16 communities in the state to receive money to address poverty, according to the governor’s office.
In Syracuse, the money will go to the United Way of Central New York on behalf of Greater Syracuse HOPE.
Here is the list:
- Coordinated Care Services, $325,000: for a dropout prevention and mentoring program that will employ 11 family advocates and serve 150 at-risk middle school students and families. that will provide support services to 150 at-risk middle school students and their families.
- Street Addiction Institute, $205,000: for an after-school program that works with the 150 students in the Coordinated Care Services’ program. The program will focus on promoting school attendance, academic performance, and parent support.
- PEACE Inc., $75,000: for involving 100 middle school students in a public awareness campaign that will help them improve job readiness skills, increase civic engagement and improve financial literacy.
- Home HeadQuarters, Inc., $355,000 - To provide financial counseling to help low-income individuals create viable options for additional streams of revenue and build up existing assets. As part of the project, the company will subcontract with a local credit union to provide a financial counselor and Step-Up loans to assist individuals who participate in workforce training.
- Syracuse Northeast Community Center, $100,000 - To help people who are ineligible to participate or have dropped out of traditional job training programs re-enter the workforce through volunteer opportunities with nonprofits that are within walking distance. Also, to provide financial counseling with a focus on budgeting and credit repair. Syracuse Northeast Community Center will partner with Northeast Hawley Development Association, Inc., and the ARISE Child & Family Service.
- Good Life Youth Foundation, $100,000: for teaching financial literacy so families can build savings and financial stability. Each family receives a small line of credit at the beginning of the seven-month pilot that will be released to them once they complete the program. They can either save the money or use it to cover important expenses.
- SUNY Educational Opportunity Center, $150,000: for two new community engagement specialists to provide individuals with aptitude and skill assessments, career planning, and job placement assistance.
- Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility, $183,000: for Community Connectors, These are people of influence in their neighborhoods who can guide other residents to resources that can help them navigate their way out of poverty. Community Connectors will engage their neighborhoods through one-on-one networking and public outreach.
- Jubilee Homes of Syracuse, $139,000: for residents who require employment-related transportation services including rides to work, grocery stores, pharmacies to pick up medication, and to scheduled primary health care appointments.
- The Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County, $84,000: for a full-time attorney who will help clients create small businesses and remove barriers to employment caused by criminal records, along with other services. The attorney will create drop-in legal clinics and recruit other volunteer lawyers or law students to assist in counseling clients.
Marnie Eisenstadt is a reporter who writes about public affairs in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter| Facebook | 315-470-2246
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