Maryland Department of Labor to Fund Workforce Solutions to Address Homelessness
Commitment in Partnership with Maryland’s Interagency Council on Homelessness Nearly Doubles MD Labor’s Funding for Critical Service
BALTIMORE, MD (October 26, 2022) - Maryland Department of Labor (MD Labor) Secretary Tiffany Robinson announced today nearly $1 million in funding to support and train jobseekers experiencing homelessness or in need of eviction prevention. MD Labor is partnering with Maryland’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH) on this critical prevention initiative.
These entities will develop and implement innovative strategies that integrate workforce and housing resources to support at risk jobseekers. Due to the number of high-quality and innovative proposals received by MD Labor, the funding announced today is nearly double that of the department’s initial commitment to this pilot which was announced earlier this year.
“This initiative bolsters our existing commitment to operate an integrated workforce system to address a core source of homelessness,” said Secretary Tiffany Robinson. “I am confident that the collaborative nature of these projects will be a catalyst for changing the lives of countless Marylanders.”
Selected grantees have cultivated robust partnerships with statewide workforce development partners and organizations that provide services to those experiencing homelessness. Funding will be used to support jobseekers experiencing homelessness by providing training and employment opportunities that lead to economic security and family-sustaining wages.
“As the Interagency Council on Homelessness Chair, I fully endorse this grant and believe it will have a meaningful impact in helping to reduce homelessness and increase employment among this vulnerable population,” said Maryland Department of Disabilities Secretary Carol A. Beatty, who also chairs the Interagency Council on Homelessness.
Over the next three years, it is expected that more than 350 individuals will benefit from services provided through these grants. Funded projects cover nearly all corners of the state, from Western Maryland to Southern Maryland and communities in-between.
“Many of our Southern Maryland families are not only facing the challenges associated with being homeless, but they are also challenged by the lack of employment or adequate skills and training to secure livable wages,” stated LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc. CEO Sandy Washington. “Through this incredible funding opportunity, MD Labor’s Workforce Solutions to Address Homelessness will allow LifeStyles' ‘Bridge the Gap’ Workforce Development program to reduce these challenges, increase our labor force, and create a better quality of life for those who are currently unemployed and experiencing homelessness in Southern Maryland.”
More information about the selected recipients is included below.
| Organization | Funding Amount | Region Served |
| Allegany College | $195,000 | Allegany and Garrett Counties |
| Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development | $200,000 | Baltimore County |
| Horizon Goodwill Industries | $199,000 | Washington and Allegany Counties |
| LifeStyles of Maryland | $198,976 | Calvert, St. Mary’s, and Charles Counties |
| Maryland Center For Veterans Education and Training | $200,000 | Baltimore City |
Stevens Amendment: 100% funded with federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act formula funds.
The Maryland Department of Labor is committed to safeguarding and protecting Marylanders. We're proud to support the economic stability of the state by providing businesses, the workforce and the consuming public with high quality customer-focused regulatory, employment and training services. For updates and information, follow the Maryland Department of Labor on Twitter, Facebook, and visit our website.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Joe Farren
Cell: 410-746-0010