Secretary of Labor Announces $14 Million in Grants to
Support New Freedom Initiative

WASHINGTON - U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced $14.4 million in federal grants that will support the President's New Freedom Initiative goal to integrate Americans with disabilities into the workforce. Thirty-eight grants, ranging from $83,000 to $1 million, have been awarded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy.

“The President and I are committed to ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment opportunities in the 21st Century workforce,” said Chao. “These grants will help to develop model programs and innovative approaches to promote increased employment of people with disabilities.”

Among the first-time awards are grants to support state efforts to implement the Supreme Court's Olmstead vs L.C. decision, which calls for community-based alternatives for people with disabilities; grants to grassroots community organizations, and a demonstration grant on telework/telecommuting.

Grants are also being awarded in the following categories: customized employment for adults with disabilities, innovative demonstration grants for youth with disabilities, high school/high tech program implementation for youth with disabilities, and technical assistance for community rehabilitation providers utilizing Special Minimum Wage Certificates for people with disabilities.

The grants will be administered by the Office of Disability Employment Policy.

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Grants Awarded by U.S. Department of LaborOffice of Disability Employment PolicyOctober 2002

Customized Employment Grant Awardees

More than $5.4 million in U.S. Department of Labor grants has been awarded to eight Workforce Investment Boards across the United States. These grants provide for strategic planning and implementation activities designed to improved the employment and career advancement of people with disabilities. The key goal of each grants is to build the capacity in local One-Stop Career Centers to develop and implement customized employment services to persons with disabilities. The grants provide a vehicle for the local boards to systemically review their policies and practices in service to persons with disabilities and to incorporate new and innovative practices, as appropriate. Each grant is awarded for a one-year period, with four option years, subject to the availability of funds.

Grant Recipient & Amount

Town of Hempstead Workforce Investment Board ($714,742)50 Clinton Street, Suite 400Hempstead, NY 11550

Training & Development Corporation ($749,800)118 School StreetBucksport, ME 04416

Benton-Franklin Workforce Development Council ($750,000)815 North Kellogg Street, Suite CKennewick, WA 99336

Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs ($747,032)401 Adams AvenueP.O. Box 5690Montgomery, AL 36103

City of Detroit Employment & Training Department ($750,000)707 West MilwaukeeDetroit, MI 48202

Upper Rio Grande Workforce Development Board, Inc. ($494,893)221 N. Kansas, Suite 1000El Paso, TX 79901

Indianapolis Private Industry Council, Inc. ($638,792)Market Square Center, Suite 1600151 North Delaware StreetIndianapolis, IN 46204

Alaska Workforce Investment Board ($600,000)1016 West 6th Avenue, Suite 105Anchorage, AK 99501

Innovative Demonstration Grants for Youth with Disabilities Awardees

Eight organizations have been awarded almost $4 million to develop model demonstration programs that would enhance the capacity of the Department of Labor's various youth programs to serve youth with disabilities. The grants require that youth with disabilities and relevant experts work jointly to develop and implement innovative programs. Each grant is awarded for a two-year performance period.

Grant Recipient & Amount

New York City Department of Employment ($500,000)220 Church Street, 5th FloorNew York, NY 10013

Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition ($301,084)Work-Stream1207 Chester StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19107

Interlocal Association ($500,000)P.O. Box 69836 S. State StreetGreenfield, IN 46140

Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council ($500,000)2003 Western Avenue, #250Seattle, WA 98121

City of Detroit Employment & Training Dept. ($500,000)707 West MilwaukeeDetroit, MI 48202

Napa County Workforce Investment Board ($500,000)1700 Second Street, Suite 378Napa, CA 94559

Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board ($500,000)6245 Leesburg Pike, Suite 315Falls Church, VA 22044

Able-Disabled Advocacy ($500,000)2850 Sixth Avenue, Suite 311San Diego, CA 92103

WorkFORCE Grant Awardees

A total of $3.5 million dollars has been awarded under this grant program. WorkFORCE grants are designed to support the coordination and delivery of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities who are interested in moving from institutional settings to independent living and competitive employment. Two types of grant awards have been made under this program: one to assist states to coordinate the delivery of necessary employment related services (Coordinating Grants), and the second to demonstrate how these services can be delivered (Action Grants). The Coordinating Grants are awarded for a one-year period. The Action Grants are awarded for a one-year period, with four option years, subject to the availability of funds.

Grant Recipient & Amount (Coordinating Grants)

HIRE, Inc. ($105,391)5919 H StreetLittle Rock, AR 72205

Virginia Department of Rehabilitation Services ($149,512)8004 Franklin Farms DriveP.O. Box K 300Richmond, VA 23288

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services ($150,000)2129 East South Blvd.Montgomery, AL 36116

Ability Resources ($116,009)823 S. Detroit, Suite 110Tulsa, OK 74120

The Arc of Tennessee ($145,873)44 Vantage Way, Suite 550Nashville, TN 37228

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development ($103,300)201 E. Washington AvenueP.O. Box 7946Madison, WI 53707

Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission ($149,508)27 Wormwood DriveBoston, MA 02210

Inclusion Research Institute ($146,600)1436 Independence Avenue, SEWashington, DC 20003

Maine Department of Labor ($83,759)54 State House StationAugusta, ME 04333

Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special Education ($150,000)P.O. Box 240249Anchorage, AK 99524

Big Bend Jobs & Education Council ($150,000)325 John Knox Road, Suite F-140Tallahassee, FL 32303

Granite State Independent Living ($149,958)P.O. Box 7268Concord, NH 03302

Grant Recipient & Amount (Action Grants)

Institute for Community Inclusion ($484,476)University of Massachusetts- Boston100 Morrissey Blvd.Boston, MA 02123

Human Services Center ($748,593)600 Fayette StreetP.O. Box 1346Peoria, IL 61654

Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, Inc. ($749,998)1431 C. Mclendon DriveDecatur, DeKalb, GA 30033

Telework/Telecommuting

One award for $1 million has been made to operate a national demonstration project offering people with disabilities telework/telecommuting employment opportunities at three pilot demonstrations sites. The grant award is for a two-year performance period.

Grant Recipient & Amount

National Telecommuting Institute ($1,000,000)1505 Commonwealth AvenueBoston, MA 02135

Technical Assistance for Providers Awardees

In an effort to increase the capabilities of community rehabilitation providers to develop training and employment situations for people with disabilities that pay at or above the minimum wage and offer career advancement possibilities in non-stereotypical occupations, the Department has funded a technical assistance service to advance these outcomes. The grant is for one-year period, with four option years, subject to availability of funds.

Grant Recipient & Amount

Virginia Commonwealth University ($600,000)Sponsored Programs AdministrationP.O. Box 980568Richmond, VA 23298

High School/High Tech Grant Awardees

A total of $500,000 has been awarded to two state agencies to coordinate and promote statewide the implementation of local High School/High Tech programs for youth with disabilities. These locally directed and support programs serve either out-of-school or in-school youth with disabilities in a year-long program of corporate site visits, mentoring, job shadowing, guest speakers, after school activities and paid summer internships - all leading to post-secondary education or employment in high tech related occupations. Each grant is award for a two-year period.

Grant Recipient & Amount

Georgia Department of Labor ($250,000)148 Andrew Young International Blvd., N.E.Atlanta, GA 30303

Connecticut Department of Administrative Services ($250,000)165 Capital AvenueHartford, CT 06106

Grassroots Community Action Grant Awardees

A total of $300,000 has been awarded to three organizations to demonstrate how local community action organizations can assist people with disabilities with their employment goals. These demonstration grants are required to coordinate their efforts with their local One-Stop Career Center. Awards are for a one-year period.

Grant Recipient & Amount

Sea of Dreams Foundation, Inc. ($99,520)Suite BG1, Building A1Makaha MarketplaceWaianae, HI 96792

New England Business Associates ($93,699)380 Union Street, Suite 22West Springfield, MA 01089

Community Rehabilitation Industries ($100,000)1500 E. Anaheim StreetLong Beach, CA 90813

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.