See Beautiful Grant Recipient: Workforce Strong

The feature below is brought to you by Workforce Strong Inc, an organization that is in the running to receive a See Beautiful Grant. For more information about our giving initiatives, please click here.
 
To learn more about the featured organization, please visit their website here.

WORKFORCE STRONG: EQUITY JUSTICE & HOUSING
Equity is often seen as the balance beam of fairness; sitting on the rock of empathy, swayed mostly by our collective culture of administered justice.

For many hard working, underrepresented communities in America, fairnesses feels like an illusion. Where the concepts of equal pay, living wages, home ownership and the American Dream are beyond reproach; Resting just beyond the horizons of debt, broken systems and an uneven playing field that has left the backbone of our communities unable to make ends meet. Over the years, the issues of social and economic disparities have become more compounded. As the rising cost of living, health crisis, looming artificial intelligence and technology continue to make demands for new approaches to advancing human development. Underneath it all, is a widening gap in educational achievement, workforce development skills, wealth and economic mobility, cumulating in a growing concern for the future of America’s workforce.

To reemerge our now marginalized workforce communities back into the global economy as viable business owners, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, skilled worker and executives, the barriers to their success has to be intentionally addressed and undoubtedly brought down. True inclusion is based upon the authentic capacity to connect and true connections begins with access. By supporting the self actualization of our strengths, skills and capabilities more marginalized people have a greater chance to not only be invited to the table, but moreover to build new tables were equity, diversity and inclusion can continue to grow and exists, authentically.

The issues of skills development, underemployment and housing insecurity have distinct correlations as many workforce families that struggle to qualify for higher paying jobs are also challenged by the rising cost of rent and living. The preparation for the “viable jobs of the future” is no longer contingent on acquiring just a 4-year degree. The new market economy is transitioning to a skills based labor force. In order to remain viable and to purposely move our collective economies forward we must invest in advancing the capabilities of our workforce.

According to the Brookings Institute, before the start of the pandemic, 44% of U.S. families in 2019 did not earn an income that was high enough to cover their families’ living expenses. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the low-wage crisis to new heights, as unemployed and underemployed low-wage workers—particularly women and people of color— prepared to face severe economic insecurity.
These insecurities were not just limited to earnings, but have led to a housing crisis that continues to displace many working familles, till today.

The new faces of homelessness are no longer the downtrodden or mentally unstable. They are, in fact, in this pandemic era, the American family and under-skilled workforce.

Workforce Strong Inc. is a Georgia based 501c3 non-profit organization that believes in intentional investments in our undeserved workforce communities. We provide rental housing assistance to underrepresented and or under-skilled workforce families and individuals, whom are pursuing either traditional or non-traditional educational pathways to strengthen their earning capacity and economic viability. In short, We House AmbitionTM. Our Rental Assistance Scholarship Program addressed income disparities in a deliberate way by administering a model that focuses on both housing stabilization and workforce development. We are deeply committed to closing the wealth, skills and achievement gaps that continues to be a significant barrier to access and inclusion—particularly for women and communities of color. Although we do not always have the privilege of an even playing field, education is a leveler that creates greater avenues to address social disadvantages.

Workforce Strong Inc also promoted financial literacy in support of economic mobility strategies, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The organization has a dual mission to: 1) provide housing stabilization for trade or tertiary education market in both traditional and non-traditional workforce development programs 2) assist in closing the skills gap in occupational demand industries and emerging business sectors. Workforce Strong Inc primary service line is housing support for trade, education and workforce development programs. Our model is unique to the market because we address both housing and workforce development in a catalytic approach designed to promote sustainable means of social and economic advancements.

In an unjust world, justice can simply be the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have options. Creating those options often times requires support, direction and an unwavering determination to achieve ones ambitions. Workforce Strong Inc believes in our current and future housing scholars. We believe that ambition is a driver that sets the tone for the journey ahead. And with the right goals the journey to discovering our highest purpose and capabilities can and will always be —a worthwhile investment in our collective community.

Written by Juliana Njoku

Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.