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Friendship Place urges $500,000 grant to scale rapid‑placement jobs pilot for people experiencing homelessness
Summary
Friendship Place told the Committee its AIM Higher 'Jobs 1st' rapid‑placement model averaged 78 days to hire in a private-funded pilot and achieved 76% six‑month retention; the nonprofit requested a $500,000 DOES grant to expand services for SNAP, TANF and homelessness‑relief participants.
Representatives from Friendship Place described a jobs‑first pilot targeted to people experiencing homelessness and asked the Committee to support an agency grant to scale the model. Lynn Amano, director of advocacy, outlined pilot outcomes: the nonprofit used private funds to place 52 individuals with an average 78 days to employment and a 76% retention rate at six months. She argued the approach is efficient and suited to TANF work requirements.
Richard McKee, director of Friendship Place’s AIM Higher division, provided program metrics and a concrete request: a $500,000 grant to serve 150 participants with a goal of at least 100 placements into jobs within 90 days and 75% retention at six months. McKee highlighted employer partnerships and ability to provide wraparound supports—phones, uniforms and transportation—to increase placement success.
Committee members thanked the nonprofit and said they would include the group’s written proposal in Committee records and pose detailed funding questions to DOES when the agency testified later in the hearing. No funding decision was made at the hearing; Friendship Place’s written proposal was entered into the record for follow‑up.
