FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, October 1, 2004
Contact: ACF Press Office
(202) 401-9215
HHS AWARDS OVER $1M TO FOUR IOWA ORGANIZATIONS
Funding to help create new
jobs, aid children
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced today the awarding of $1,017,000 to four faith and community-based groups in Iowa to help create new jobs, give mentors to children of prisoners, offer couples voluntary marriage education and expand job skills for the homeless.
HHS’ Administration for Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Joan Ohl spoke about the grants in Des Moines today on behalf of President George W. Bush, Secretary Thompson and HHS Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Wade F. Horn, Ph.D.
“The funding we are awarding these organizations will help Iowans get and keep good jobs, strengthen families and give aid to the homeless,” said Ohl. “By empowering faith and community-based groups to help more of their neighbors, the Bush Administration is once again putting compassion in action.”
The four grants to Iowa groups include:
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$450,000 over 17 months to the Institute for Social and Economic Development (ISED). ISED will use the funding, working with Lutheran Services of Iowa, to administer job training services and help create new jobs for low-income Iowans, particularly those on welfare;
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$467,000 over three years to the Serve Our Youth Network of Iowa (SOY). SOY will use the funding to provide mentoring services to approximately 375 children of prisoners.
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$50,000 over one year to Marriage Matters of Iowa. The center will use the funding to enhance its ability to provide healthy marriage education services for couples who choose marriage for themselves; and
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$50,000 over one year to Churches United Inc. of the Greater Des Moines Area. The funding will help the organization expand its job skills, training and placement services to homeless individuals.
The first grant is through the Job Opportunities for Low Income Individuals program, which seeks to create new employment and business opportunities for welfare recipients and other low-income individuals. The second grant is through the Mentoring Children of Prisoners program, which gives funding to organizations to provide some of America’s two million children of incarcerated parents with mentors. The other two grants are from the Compassion Capital Fund, an initiative created by President Bush to help faith and community-based organizations increase their effectiveness and enhance their ability to provide social services to those most in need. All of the programs are run by HHS’ Administration for Children and Families.
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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at www.hhs.gov/news