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BUFFALO, N.Y. – Catholic Charities Department of Workforce Development and Education has been awarded an Adult Literacy Program grant for the second consecutive year from the Dollar General Corporation. The $20,000 grant is double the amount received for the initial year of 2009-2010.
The grant will allow the department to provide education, General Educational Development (GED) test preparation and job readiness services to an expanded group of Erie County adults ages 22 and older.
Dollar General Corporation, with headquarters in Goodlettsville, Tenn., is the nation’s largest small-box discount retailer.
As the City of Buffalo currently shoulders an unemployment rate of 15.2 percent – compared with a national rate of 10.9 percent according to the New York State Department of Labor – these services are essential to help break the cycle of academic failure and poverty in our community.
“Because of the generosity of the grant from Dollar General, Catholic Charities is able to continue to provide a much needed service for adults in Erie County,” said Darrell Slisz, Catholic Charities education director. “In our first year under the grant, we were able to help 31 people over the age of 22 receive GED preparation services and we hope to surpass that number in the coming year. Companies such as Dollar General recognize the importance of helping people achieve their GED diplomas.”
In total in 2009, the department helped 52 students ages 16-24 obtain GED diplomas, 107 students increase reading or math levels a minimum of one grade level, and 45 students receive part- or full-time employment.
Catholic Charities has been providing GED preparation, educational instruction, job readiness skills, employment assistance and life skills training to Erie County residents since 1975. One on one tutoring and classroom settings are available.
For more information regarding GED preparation and work readiness services available to people ages 16 and older, call the Workforce program at 716-893-3500 or visit www.ccged.org.
Catholic Charities is the most comprehensive human service provider in Western New York, reaching all eight counties with 62 locations. Founded in 1923, Catholic Charities also provides, without regard to religious affiliation, comprehensive counseling services for children and families, anti-domestic violence programming and emergency services, among other social and mental health services. For more information, go to www.ccwny.org.
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