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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1065 |
| Ex-Offender Reentry and Job Opportunities for Low Income |
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| Requester: |
Toni Watts, CEO |
Organization: |
Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (CDC of Tampa, Inc.) |
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| Project Title: |
Ex-Offender Reentry and Job Opportunities for Low Income |
Date Submitted |
1/2/2008 10:36:24 AM |
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| Sponsors: |
Crist |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| The State of Florida has one of the highest numbers of returning ex-offenders, with Hillsborough County receiving the largest numbers of the 67 counties in the State. Over 4,000 Florida inmates will be released by 7/31/2008 with 2,700 returning to Hillsborough County. This creates a myriad of challenges to the local community, as ex-offenders are released with limited resources, and limited work and educational backgrounds to draw upon. It has been shown that with a solid network of support services, ex-offenders can make successful reentry into the community and reduce the likelihood that they will return to incarceration. This provides job skills training and placement which greatly reduces recidivism rates, and begins the self determination stage for participants. This investment is a better option from a financial, community development, and safety standpoint; when juxtaposed to investing in housing inmates at $40,000 per person per year. |
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| Recipient: |
CDC of Tampa, Inc. |
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Contact: |
Toni Watts, CEO |
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2631 E. Lake Ave. |
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Contact Phone: |
(813) 248-9738 |
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Tampa 33610 |
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Contact email: |
toni.watts@cdcoftampa.org |
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| Counties: |
Hillsborough |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| CDC of Tampa, Inc. is requesting to leverage funding to support an exciting public/private partnership to coordinate the Carpenter�s Bench program in East Tampa. The partnership brings together community experts in workforce development and offender re-entry in CDC of Tampa, Inc. and Abe Brown Ministries; and Construction Trades training and staffing in Able Body Labor TrainingU Division. CDC of Tampa, Inc. has substantial experience in providing services to low income individual and managing federal and state grants through the last 15 years. Additionally, CDC of Tampa is presently the grant recipient of a federal award of implement the Carpenter�s Bench program, funded by Department of HHS. However these funds will only allow us to provide 2 training sessions and jobs to 33 individuals annually. These funds will allow us to create consistency through a 12 month program, providing jobs for 150 individuals with a minimum wage of $10 per hour. CDC of Tampa, Inc. will serve as the grant recipient responsible for fiscal management, Steppin Stones Job Readiness curriculum, and reports to funders. This partnership creates a jobs training and placement program, �Carpenter�s Bench Program�, that responds to the opportunities available in Florida�s �Semi-Skilled� construction trades labor market. Able Body, Inc.�s expansion of its TrainingU division into East Tampa will be supported by a training grant and affordable operations space. The company has a proven track record in this growing industry and will provide entry-level employment opportunities for the target population, which includes ex-offenders, non-custodial parents, underemployed, unemployed and other low-income persons. These job opportunities will provide valuable experience, livable wages and opportunities for career advancement. The CDC of Tampa already provides soft skills training and job referrals for a clientele of 1,200 annually, which represents 85% ex-offenders and 100% low income individuals. The CDC of Tampa will provide financial assistance to the company as well as other support services to the client needed to maintain employment, such as transportation, clothing, work tools and certainly the �employability skills� needed to be successful.
To meet this need, CDC of Tampa has engaged Abe Brown Ministries as part of this project to provide resources that include, outreach, counseling, mentoring, as well as transitional housing for ex-offenders in Hillsborough County. Abe Brown Ministries, founded in 1976, is a leader in the successful reentry of ex-offenders into communities in the Tampa area. Through this collaboration, the partnership succeeds in addressing identified gaps in knowledge, expertise and service delivery, leveraging and stretching resources to meet the needs of ex-offenders and extending the ability of the community programs to work together.
The following support activities will be made available to program participants:
1) Participant counseling and assessment through an initial three hour orientation
2) 30 hours of Life Skills and Job Readiness training through the Steppin� Stones program
3) 40 hours Hard Skills training through an Able Body Inc.�s TrainingU Division
4) Hands-on Training through a two-week internship (40 hours per week)
5) Case management follow up to 12 months after placement
6) Assistance as needed for transportation, uniforms and work tools.
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| � 100% of participants will acquire knowledge of opportunities and resources to combat barriers to employment
� 85% of participants will complete the objectives of a personal development plan
� 85% of participants will complete the training component
� 90% of participants completing the training program, will be hired into full-time permanent jobs
� 90% of participants will maintain 6 month retention
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$500,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$1,000,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Federal |
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Cash Amount |
$336,875 |
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In-kind Amount |
$163,125 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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No |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$500,000 |
To Fund: |
Operations |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
The 2005-2006 Federal Department of Corrections (FDC) annual report |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Hillsborough County Legislation Delegation - Dec. 2007 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
