Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was joined today by employees from the Erie County Department of Social Services, representatives of the Community Action Organization of WNY, New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara Guinn and various community stakeholders to announce new strategies aimed to battle poverty in the City of Buffalo by utilizing $12.5 million to support programming that will be offered by community partners.
“Reducing poverty helps families with children live better, healthier and more productive lives,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “This critical funding will allow eligible families to gain access to the support and services they need to gain new skills, improve their financial literacy, and build towards a brighter future. I thank Governor Kathy Hochul for making the reducing of poverty rates a priority which will continue in making Buffalo a wonderful place to raise a family.”
The state funds will provide much-needed resources to help families in Buffalo currently living in poverty to increase their earnings and improve their overall well-being. Community Action Organization of WNY will support specialized programming for families deemed eligible by the Erie County Department of Social Services.
“We are delighted that CAO of WNY as the federally designated anti-poverty program has the opportunity to partner with Governor’s Hochul’s efforts to fight poverty in upstate New York along with the Erie County Department of Social Services,” said Community Action Organization of WNY President & CEO Dr. Marie A. Cannon. “We plan to serve 600 families in this pilot program that provides economic mobility opportunities through upskilling, access to training, financial incentives, workforce development, and coaching.”
The $12.5 million will support upward mobility for eligible families experiencing poverty who reside in the City of Buffalo. Program components include life coaches, career coaches, financial literacy services, linkage to support and resources, and direct cash incentives.
“We are very pleased to celebrate and support the launch of Erie County’s poverty reduction initiative, a pilot that is expected to make a substantial difference for families in need in Erie County and help strengthen our fight to reduce child poverty across New York State,” said New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn. “When we invest in low-income families it has a direct impact on the family’s well-being, the children’s performance in school, and the overall economic security and well-being of families. We look forward to the continued implementation of this important program and are grateful to Governor Hochul for making landmark investments to reduce child poverty, uplift working families, and make our state more livable and affordable for all New Yorkers.”
The local action items in the fight against poverty include:
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Direct cash payments provided for up to 600 participating families, each of whom could receive up to 29 incentive payments totaling up to $16,000 per family if they meet certain benchmarks, including engagement with career coaches and life coaches, making progress toward their identified goals, enrollment in training and/or education/upskilling activities, and attainment and retention of employment.
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Approximately 125 participants will receive assistance in obtaining a driver’s license as their first step toward freedom in mobility that can help lead to economic stability
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Activation of the “Automotive Matching Program” will open 10 participant savings accounts and will match 6:1 deposited by the participant up to $6,000 towards the purchase of a vehicle.
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Participants will also have access to various workforce development programs, including subsidized job placement, on-the-job training, industry-specific career pathways programs, and pre-apprenticeships, among others.
For more information:
About the Erie County Department of Social Services, visit www.erie.gov/socialservices
About the Community Action Organization of WNY, visit www.caowny.org
