U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-8) today announced a $249,995 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Strengthening Communities grant to Passaic County’s Workforce Investment Board (WIB).

“Passaic County’s workers have been hit particularly hard by the economic recession,” said Pascrell, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee who supported the WIB’s grant application. “These grant dollars will help get people throughout the county back to work by using the contacts and resources of the organizations that are closest to them.”  

The grant, administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will fund the expansion of the WIB’s capacity to facilitate partnerships with local non-profits, community and faith-based organizations to carry out economic recovery efforts in Passaic County. Those efforts will include assisting Passaic County residents to secure and retain employment, providing job training, and informing residents of available government benefits.

Because computers and Internet access have become integral parts of job searching and skills training, a large part of the grant will be used to purchase 150 laptop computers and five laptop carts. The computers will be available for use by job seekers at the county’s One Stop Career Centers in Paterson and Clifton, as well faith-based and community non-profit organizations.

Passaic County ranks fourth highest in unemployment among New Jersey’s 21 counties, according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development.  The need for the federal grant is also underscored by the sharp increase of Passaic County college graduates filing for unemployment insurance.  Between April 2007 and April 2009, that number more than doubled, from 483 to 1,147.

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