Senator Van Hollen announced Humanim as one of four organizations in Baltimore to receive part of $3.3 million in federal grants to support workforce training programs. We’re thrilled to receive these dollars to expand our programs and support more individuals who face social or economic challenges by building pathways to economic equity, opportunity and independence.
Humanim will leverage this generous investment to expand our successful youth and adult workforce programming and social enterprise operations. Additionally we will double down on our investment to grow our Direct Support Professional (DSP) Apprenticeship Program, which partners with government, school systems, and service providers.
Humanim’s President & CEO Cindy Plavier-Truitt along with Bill McIntyre, Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development, spoke about Humanim’s efforts and progress before Sen. Van Hollen and Rep. Kweisi Mfume shared closing remarks. They were joined by leaders of the three other grantee organizations: Bishop Donté Hickman of the Southern Baptist Church, leader of the Mary Harvin Workforce Center; Lisa Davis, Director of Workforce Development at the Greater Baltimore Urban League; Marty Schwartz, the President of Vehicles for Change.
Plavier-Truitt said, “We want to thank Sen. Van Hollen and Congressman Mfume for their guts, their tenacity, and their vision to understand how work is truly transformational. We are eager to partner and we’re ready to get to work.”
In announcing the funding, Van Hollen noted that, “In my view, every American who wants to work should be able to get a job. We are experiencing a hot labor market, but for many Marylanders who have been long-term unemployed, or those who don’t have the necessary skills, or those who were formerly incarcerated there are still barriers to finding work. That’s why we should support programs that help workers build the skills employers need and it’s why I secured $3.3 million in federal grants for four great workforce training programs in Baltimore. This is a win-win. It’s a win for individuals seeking jobs to support themselves and their families. And it’s a win for employers who are eager to hire workers to help them meet consumer demand for their products or services.”