For more information, contact:
Amanda M. Sink
Board Strategic Initiatives Manager
(815) 395-6688
asink@theworkforceconnection.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2021 – Rockford, IL: The Workforce Connection (TWC), the region’s dedicated workforce development resource, is proud to announce their advancement as the lead applicant into the next phase of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Racial Equity 2030 grant, after their review of over 7,000 applications.
Awarding $90 million to organizations, Racial Equity 2030 “seeks to close the racial equity gap so all children, families and communities can be more confident, healthier and secure in their trust of the systems and institutions that serve them”. More information on the grant can be found here.
The Workforce Connection, in partnership with the City of Rockford, County of Winnebago, Transform Rockford, Region 1 Planning Council (R1PC), and Rockford Public Schools District 205, developed a concept project to address racial equity in Rockford.
Generational poverty, housing segregation, and disparities in education has now created three generations of entrenched poverty in the Rockford region, particularly among Black and Brown populations.
Through a family navigator approach that gives families and individuals the tools they need to navigate a successful life, the project will close the achievement gap, increase household income, and establish racial healing by creating a culture wherein individuals feel and perceive they belong. Each participating family will work with the same family navigator throughout their participation so each family has a “go-to person” who has built a trusting relationship with the family.
The selection of finalists and awardees will be announced by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation later this summer.
About The Workforce Connection
The Workforce Connection provides a fully integrated and accessible workforce development system that balances the needs of individuals and businesses to ensure our region has a skilled workforce to effectively compete in the global economy.
