march 29th, 2023
The VOA Texas ‘Hire Up’ Program to Help 400 low-income individuals to acquire higher paying jobs.
(HOUSTON, TX) April 13, 2023 — Volunteers of America Texas, a faith-driven nonprofit helping people in need, was awarded $8 M to provide vocational training, workforce development support, financial empowerment, and basic needs assistance to participants and their families. The grant is part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. The economic stimulus plan has been a significant help to cities like Houston that faced record revenue loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new Hire Up Program has committed to assisting 400 eligible Harris County residents in underserved communities through training and employment opportunities building toward financial stability.
VOA established its Financial Opportunity Center in Houston, TX, in 2010, with five vocational training programs, serving about 200 people in its first year. Now, 13 years later, the VOA Texas FOC has expanded programming to 31 vocational training services that all yield an industry-recognized certificate or license to high-wage, high-growth jobs.
“We’ve had great success over the last decade in providing people with low paying jobs, employment training and financial services that help them learn to manage their income, improve their credit, and accomplish their financial goals, such as becoming homeowners, We’re honored that our proven track record has afforded us another opportunity to empower more people in our community,” said Danita Wadley, VOA Texas Chief Strategic Officer.
The participant success rate is primarily attributed to the agency’s industry-recognized certifications and experience in providing training, assistance in financial capability, and workforce development. An experienced federal contractor, VOA Texas delivers services to thousands of individuals to achieve economic resilience for significant, lasting impacts.
VOA Texas attributes success in workforce development to amplifying vocational training and assistance services around adult learning principles and virtual delivery practices. The organization ensures that the training is efficient, engaging, and builds client capacity in meaningful and demonstrable ways. As a local leader in the industry, the agency curates and synthesizes the best resources, service delivery, and partnerships the field have to offer.
The organization has a credible reputation with the City of Houston and Harris County Workforce Development with a total of 68 collaborations to execute workforce efforts.
About Volunteers of America Texas
Volunteers of America Texas is a nonprofit, ministry of service that strengthens communities through an array of services including substance abuse treatment and prevention, affordable housing, community re-entry, employment training and disabilities services. With locations in more than 30 urban and rural communities, Volunteers of America Texas has been helping those who need the most help for more than 127 years. For information, visit www.voatx.org.
About the America Rescue Plan Act
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, also called the COVID-19 Stimulus Package or American Rescue Plan, is a US$1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, to speed up the country’s recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession.[1] First proposed on January 14, 2021, the package builds upon many of the measures in the CARES Act from March 2020 and in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, from December.
Contact:
Ericka English
Director of Marketing and Communications
(817) 529-7363
eenglish@voatx.org