Workforce Development
National Grid Foundation funding assists the community and local economies, as job seekers — those who remain employed, and those who seek strategies to enhance career growth — and prepare for employment opportunities.
At Pine Street Inn, Boston, individuals such as Andrea participate in its workforce development program, A Pathway Toward Stability and Independence, that provides job training and connections to employment.
Fingerprints of Success
Workforce Development
This issue of Destiny is dedicated to the expansion and inclusion of those programs that help our neighbors train and find meaningful employment to sustain their lives, families, and our communities. Please take a moment to read the workforce development program features. We think you will be as proud of them as we are.
— The National Grid Foundation Editorial Team
As the nation emerged from the unprecedented devastating impacts from the pandemic, a new buzz word also emerged with more importance than ever before: workforce development. We all had heard about and were familiar with skills training and job placement, but 9.5 million workers lost their jobs in the wake of COVID-19, with 4 million out of work for half a year or longer, and workforce development became a centerpiece for rebuilding the nation.
Workforce development, from the societal centric perspective, is defined as initiatives
that educate and train individuals to meet the needs of current and future business and industry to maintain a sustainable competitive economic environment.
The National Grid Foundation’s mission, at its core, calls for giving people tools to build hope. The Foundation believes this is an essential ingredient in the development of individuals, families and building stronger communities. Further, the National Grid Foundation was created to enhance the quality of life across its grant-making territory and helps its partner organizations create opportunities for today’s and tomorrow’s educational and environmental issues. It supports and engages non-profit organizations that take ownership for implementing educational
and environmental programs and solutions.
While the Foundation had supported a small number of workforce readiness programs pre-pandemic, such as STRiVE, Boston; Seven Hills Aspire, Worcester, MA; Northland Workforce Training and VIA, both in Buffalo, NY, with its mission rooted in providing tools and the development of individuals and building stronger communities, the Foundation Board and team decided to broaden — even further — its support and funding of educational programs to now include a robust workforce development approach and funding support. With the knowledge that, as communities would begin to emerge from the devastating effects of COVID-19, there would be a great need, and emphasis on developing the ‘new normal’ workforce of the future, the Foundation felt very strongly that a substantive investment in this area would aid the critical need for skilled workers. These programs expanded the Foundation’s traditional educational scope to include work readiness skills programs so that the community could have offerings from tools such as resume writing, interviewing techniques, problem solving, teamwork, and organization skills. Employability skills also are offered, as are basic skills (reading,
writing, and math), and generic occupational skills (customer service and safety procedures).
The Foundation believed, especially post-pandemic, that services that help individuals find employment and receive training that leads to job placement and career advancement, while simultaneously helping businesses meet their needs for qualified personnel, were critically important to our communities and the rebuilding of our local economies.
As the nation climbed out of the economic impacts of the pandemic adding 1.5 million jobs to the economy in 2021, the Foundation also did its part: In 2021 and the first six months of 2022, the Foundation’s Board approved approximately $788,000 of funding in this area, and between 2020 and 2023, the National Grid Foundation invested approximately $1.4 million in workforce development programs to assist the community and local economies, as job seekers — those who remained employed, and those who sought strategies to enhance career growth — prepare for employment opportunities. In 2023, the National Grid Foundation supported a total of 22 organizations focused on workforce and skills development. ❧
Photo: John Salvino on Unsplash
Pine Street Inn
MORE THAN A SHELTER
By Deborah Drew
Pine Street Inn began its journey in 1969, offering a safe alternative to the streets of Boston to approximately 200 men suffering from alcoholism. Since then, it has become a Boston icon for its comprehensive programs and services which have exponentially expanded to include housing, emergency services, and workforce development, supporting more than 2,000 individuals each day. Pine Street Inn partners with homeless individuals to help them move from the streets and shelter to a home, and assists formerly homeless individuals in retaining housing.
Its mission: End homelessness by making permanent housing a reality
The National Grid Foundation began supporting the Pine Street Inn “Pathway Towards Stability and Independence” workforce development program more than two years ago, helping to provide essential job training, employment placement, and
retention support. In 2023/2024, 75 individuals completed the program.
Pathway Towards Stability and Independence covers two training programs, one in food services and the other in housekeeping, providing the skills and support necessary for trainees to find and maintain employment. Trainees represent a vulnerable population who may not be able to participate in other programs or access resources due to lack of stable housing or because of a disability.
Relying on partnerships with more than 40 food service and hospitality businesses to help identify well-paying job opportunities that match trainees’ skills and interests, Pine Street Inn boasts a growing network of hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and grocery stores that help fill a critical gap for many individuals on their journey out of homelessness to independent and stable lifestyles. ❧
Pine Street Inn Graduation 2024. Graduates from left to right: Israel B., Arquesha G., and Taji W.
Photos: Pine Street Inn
“It’s a great team, and I’m learning so much. I get hands-on experience doing maintenance work around the Pine Street campus. We’re also taught about budgeting and computers. The program really sets you up for success.”
Kens, participant
“I’ve learned so much in the program. Everyone at Pine Street has been helpful. They ask us about our goals, and the trainees are so supportive of each other.”
— Venice, participant
■ How many have gone through the program
● In FY2024, our Workforce Development Program served 143 people
■ How many hours of “study” or experience have the participants received?
● Trainees receive an initial 8 - weeks of classroom instruction followed by a 16 - week internship period and approximately 6 - months of follow up service
■ How many have “graduated”?
● 75 homeless or formerly homeless individuals graduated from our program during our graduation ceremony, on June 14, 2024
■ How many have secured employment?
● In FY2024, 39 individuals had employment placements
Philip H. and Israel B. trainees of the Pine Street Inn Workforce Development Program.
In This Kitchen You Are Home You Are Important You Are Loved
Madd Love Shambra
Madd Love Meals -
Food Relief and Job Training
By Utec Inc.
UTEC started Madd Love Meals (MLM) in 2020 when COVID 19 forced the closure of its beloved cafe enterprise in downtown Lowell. UTEC leveraged standing relationships with broad-line food distributors and local farms to provide high-quality and culturally sensitive food for partner organizations as well as to young adults connected to UTEC’s program.
Young adult working with Assistant Director of Food Services Shambra McDowney on a new culinary creation: Dominican
Young Adults showcased their skills and
UTEC started Madd Love Meals (MLM) in 2020 when COVID-19 forced the closure of its beloved cafe enterprise in downtown Lowell. UTEC leveraged standing relationships with broad-line food distributors and local farms to provide high-quality and culturally sensitive food for partner organizations as well as to young adults connected to UTEC’s program. Now an ongoing project, MLM reaches families that would not otherwise have access to fresh food and grocery items, while providing an opportunity for young adults to gain hands-on training in the food service industry, learning about the industry as well
Sushi!
dedication in the kitchen with this fusion of Dominican cuisine and traditional sushi techniques.
Deandre is a young adult in UTEC’s culinary program. He has excelled in the program, and has moved up to the Enterprise level, where he is advancing his culinary skills and learning about the food services business. He helps our Assistant Director of Food Services with UTEC’s catering enterprise: See Beyond Catering. He spoils UTEC staff and young adults with his amazing cooking talent! He also recently passed his HISet exam (high school equivalency).
as food justice. In FY24, UTEC distributed 12,901 food boxes through its Streetwork team and nine community partners.
The MLM food boxes also help UTEC street outreach workers build relationships with young people and/or their families, paving the way to UTEC’s job training and personal development program. MLM currently works with four different community organizations that are on the front line of food insecurity, housing insecurity, and addiction, described above.
Our MLM boxes are nutritious, easy to use, and culturally sensitive, featuring ingredients and spices that are familiar to our population, which is largely Latino and Cambodian. The meal boxes will be supplemented by three free food pantries at UTEC locations in Lowell, Haverhill, and Lawrence, where young adults can access canned goods and easy-to-prepare foods. MLM is unique in that beneficiaries
UTEC Streetworkers
Anthony Rodriquez and Xavier Mille are seen here packing up weekly food boxes for delivery to the families of young men who are incarcerated and to young adults in the community who are considering joining UTEC’s program.
of the program work hands-on with food preparation, cooking, and packing. Their input and suggestions concerning the choice of food, spices, and grocery items ensure the community's needs are met. From uniforms to advocacy campaigns, we look to incarcerated and justice-involved young adults to guide our programming and ensure that our offerings are in line with their real-time needs. We will continue to draw upon the expertise of our population by regularly surveying and speaking with young adults on the ways that program funding will address their current health needs and food insecurity in their lives.
The long-term goal of this project is to allow families impacted by incarceration and poverty to live with lower levels of food insecurity, which allows them to focus their energies on their health and personal development. The project will help to increase life expectancy in the Merrimack Valley region by increasing access to healthy food options and placing young adults in
programming that can connect them to care and economic stability. This positive impact improves the region's overall health, housing, and income outcomes.
UTEC serves young adults in Lowell, Lawrence, and Haverhill who are out of school, involved with gangs, or returning from incarceration. As mentioned above, we served a total of 531 young adults, including 127 young adults in our intensive enrollment program, 167 behind the walls, and 237 through streetworker outreach in FY23.
For FY24, we anticipate serving 535 young adults overall, including at least 110 young adults in our intensive enrollment program. Each food box contains a combination of fresh fruit and produce, ingredients, and prepared foods, and provides the equivalent of 21 meals. Goals for the next are to provide 10,000 food boxes containing 210,000 meals for 760 families in need. In FY24, we distributed 6,926 food boxes in Lowell, 1,072 in Lawrence, and 4,903 in Haverhill. ❧
VIA Connects the Visually Impaired to Work Opportunities
By Christine Berardi
VIA (Visual Impaired Advancement) is a proven leader in preparing visually impaired/blind individuals helping for employment or re-employment.
VIA (Visual Impaired Advancement) is a proven leader in preparing visually impaired/ blind individuals helping for employment or re-employment.
The organization provided information from a 2021 VisionServe Alliance survey comparing visually impaired individuals to non-disabled peers in the U.S.: 43.6% of visually impaired individuals are employed compared to 70.4% of sighted Americans.
VIA’s extensive work in educating and training students goes the extra mile resulting in vital job placements. Renee DiFlavio, Senior Vice President, VIA, said, “Eighty percent of our 800 trainees are employed at wages substantially higher than the federal minimum and comparable to their sighted peers.”
Job training and workforce development have been a mainstay at VIA which is in Buffalo,
VIA helps students navigate in their community during field trips to local stores and businesses.
Photos : VIA
NY. She continued, “Without National Grid Foundation’s support, VIA could not give the visually impaired the gift of independence. The grant and support for our Pre-Vocational Training for Youth and Adults with Visual Impairments program helps people become
" Without National Grid Foundation’s support, VIA could not give the visually impaired the gift of independence."
Renee DiFlavio Senior Vice President, VIA
confident in learning skills and ability to become employed. Funders like the Foundation are important to our success.”
Students from the New York School for the Blind in Batavia travel to VIA for classes and job training. They practice real-world traveling, navigating through their community and mobility on public transportation. VIA’s job coaches assist students with resume and interview skills, following a schedule and completing assignments.
VIA’s specialized vocational job training equip adults with comprehensive training that includes adaptive technology skills, communication and job-specific knowledge and abilities. VIA supports students once they are employed with wraparound services. Employment also is available at VIA’s manufacturing facility and warehouse and at Upstate New York’s 211 WNY call center.
Senior citizens with visual impairments also have a friend in VIA. Seniors needing assistance with the latest technology attend the Facebook and Zoom classes.
One of the secrets to VIA’s success is “we
meet people where they are,” said Ray Zylinski, VIA’s Education and Development Coordinator. “No matter someone’s abilities or interests, VIA provides the right training and support to meet each student’s needs on their timetable.” ❧
A worker at VIA’s warehouse and fulfillment facility packs items to be delivered.
Ray Zylinski assists student Randolph during a computer training class at VIA.
"When I first started SEAT, I barely knew how to cook ramen. Now I know how to make sauces, soups and appetizers. ..."
Devin Myrick
Students at the Culinary Lab proud of their charcuterie board.
(above)
(Left) SEAT has helped Devin Myrick gain culinary knowledge and skills which he now uses at Hattie’s Restaurant in Albany, NY.
Photos: SEAT
Cooking Up Success at SEAT
By Christine Berardi
SEAT’s enhanced Culinary Lab program is proving success is delicious.
Social Enterprise and Training Center (SEAT) headquartered in Schenectady, NY believes that meaningful work matters. Underrepresented young people are provided a “seat at the table” in their community. According to SEAT, this means gaining access, connections, opportunities to become financially stable and contributing to the community’s economic success.
The organization is doing yeoman’s work delivering job training to young people ages 18-24 who are unemployed or underemployed. Located at its new training facility in Albany, NY, the successful Culinary Lab gives students the needed boost to becoming employed. Students participate in intensive six months of front of the house and culinary training, paid internships and ultimately obtain jobs at Hattie’s Restaurant, Rivers Casino and Resort and 12 other local restaurants. SEAT proudly reports that Hattie’s has hired five program graduates.
Devin Myrick, a grateful student now working at Hattie’s, said, "When I first started SEAT, I barely knew how to cook ramen. Now I know how to make sauces, soups and appetizers. I know how to make
a lot of desserts. This program means everything to me because I wasn't doing anything good with my life, and SEAT believed in me and gave me and my brother so many chances. Because of their love, we now work at one of the top restaurants in Albany. I was working in customer service before, making minimum wage. At Hattie’s, I went from prep to salad/apps and now I am a line cook who just got a raise!"
To introduce culinary students to the community, SEAT participated in the Tacos for Life competition and placed second in the event. Students also provide catering services for community fundraisers and events.
“SEAT’s Culinary Lab program is a game changer for us and our students,” said Jennifer Lawrence, Founder and CEO of SEAT. “The workforce development program gives students opportunities they may never have known and helps the economic development of the region.”
For six years, National Grid Foundation has supported SEAT’s Build Up Construction and most recent Build Up Culinary programs. ❧
Tech Kids Unlimited Assist Students Climb the Career Ladder
By: TKU’s Laura Olivieri Robles
Tech Kids Unlimited (TKU) is an education nonprofit that empowers neurodiverse students ages 10-24 to explore technology, develop career skills, and build confidence. In addition to creative tech workshops, the Brooklyn, NY organization offers workforce development opportunities including workreadiness workshops and internships to prepare students for future employment in the tech industry.
Neurodiverse individuals often face challenges in traditional educational and employment settings. TKU’s workforce development initiatives offer a supportive
environment for young adults to build their skills. By offering tailored programs that combine technical skills with socialemotional learning, TKU is helping to bridge the gap between education and employment for this underserved population.
TKU delivers an expanded Level Up Tech program. The work-readiness workshops are designed to equip students with specific skills needed to explore employment in tech fields: such as piloting drones, digital marketing and data analytics. TKU has partnered with AHRC and Bridges to
Creative Tech Internship for students closes the gap between school and work.
Photo: Tech Kids Unlimited
Work in a unique program spanning 18 months where the students will upskill their knowledge in technology, participate in internships and prepare for jobs in Digital Marketing. Level Up Tech complements
TKU's existing Career Ladder program which includes the Digital Agency, Career Readiness Internship Summer Program, Creative Tech Internship and College Access Program.
TKU students are enthusiastic about participating in Career Ladder programs which cater to individuals ages 14 to 24. The Digital Agency runs three times a year, attracting 75 applicants across various cycles. The Summer Internship Program engages 35 young adults. This June, 30 students completed the 10-month Creative Tech Internship.
A parent of a 17-year-old student said, “Participating in TKU’s Friday CTI program has been so meaningful to my neurodiverse son. The structured and supported program with guest speakers and group discussions led by a social worker has given him opportunities to learn and practice essential workplace skills and gain confidence in himself as both an individual and member of a team. In two short years, my son has gone from a teenager who liked computers to a young adult with a robust resume, thanks to TKU!"
TKU's work-readiness programs follow the NYS Education Department’s Work-Based Learning Framework progressing through Career Awareness, Career Exploration, and Career Development. This structured approach ensures that students
gain an understanding of potential career paths in technology.
"The generous support from the National Grid Foundation has been instrumental in expanding our ability to provide crucial workforce development opportunities for neurodiverse young people. Their grant has allowed us to enhance our programs in a direction that can make a significant difference in the students’ lives and future career prospects." said Beth Rosenberg, the Founder and Executive Director of Tech Kids Unlimited. ❧
Through a virtual meeting, Patrick Lewis Jr. shows objects he printed in his internship which focused on 3D printing.
Screenshot of Creative Tech Internship for students participating virtually.
"If you have made mistakes…there is always another chance for you… you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down."
MARY PICKFORD — Founding partner of United Artists 1919
