The key component of helping families and individuals move out of poverty and into self-sufficiency is, as President Lyndon Johnson noted in designing the War on Poverty, the opportunity to work. Community Needs Assessments conducted by CSBG-eligible entities reveal time and time again that what people in poverty truly want and need is the ability to earn an honest and dignified living through work. The creation of new jobs, with emphasis on careers in energy efficient and environmentally beneficial fields, is critical to individuals’, families’ and communities’ success, and ultimately to the country’s economic recovery and continued health.
In collaboration with the Offices of Community Services in the Administration for Children and Families (Department of Health and Human Services), the Community Action Partnership utilized Community Service Block Grant American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to create a powerful Job Creation and Green Jobs storehouse of information The goal of the storehouse is to identify and promote exemplary practices that help the CSBG Network increase its capacity to ensure economic security for low-income individuals and families.
The storehouse includes job creation and training resources, field information, case studies, toolkits and innovative practices which focus on developing opportunities in energy efficient and environmentally beneficial fields.