FTA 10-03
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
Contact: Kristi M. Clemens
Tel.:
(202) 366-4043
U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $1.5 Million For Ways to Work,
Inc. to Assist Families in Four Ohio Counties
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta today
announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will provide $1.5
million in funding to Ways to Work, Inc. to assist families in the Ohio counties
of Summit, Stark, Portage and Tuscarawas.
“Transportation is vital in helping people move from welfare to the security and self-sufficiency of jobs,” Secretary Mineta said. “It is a key element in helping people reach their goals and become fully productive citizens.”
The funds will be awarded to Ways to Work, Inc., which will then issue small direct loans to low-income families to buy a car for transportation to work and child-care facilities.
FTA Administrator Jennifer
Dorn stated, “The FTA is pleased to partner with Ways to Work, Inc. in their
efforts to provide transit solutions to low income families, which will allow
them to participate more fully in their communities. This partnership is an example of the FTA’s efforts to
promote independence and opportunity through increasing successful coordination
of transportation services among human service agencies and transportation
providers.”
Ways to Work, Inc. is a
federally-certified Community Development Financial Institution to Work loan
program. Ways to Work programs
provide small loans to low-income families that are commonly used for automobile
purchase or repair, mortgage or housing expenses, or child care – all to help
parents keep a job or stay in school. Since
1984, small loan programs have served communities in 20 states, providing 18,000
families with over $23 million in loans. More
than $5.8 million of that total has been loaned since 1996 to over 3,000
families through the Ways to Work loan program.
The Job Access and Reverse Commute program, which funded the grant announced today, continues to support agencies all over the country as they help welfare recipients make the transition to employment and help others seeking entry level jobs find and retain work.
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