Congrats! The OHCDC awarded $250,000 from the Governor’s Office

The Olivet Housing and Community Development Corporation has been selected for a grant from Governor Mike DeWine's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to support the operation of the Olivet Tri-C Access Center to provide residents of our service areas with the opportunity and means to improve their educational attainment level, develop sought after job skills, and enter the workforce in in-demand industries.

In summer 2019, Olivet Housing and Community Development Corporation partnered with Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority and Cuyahoga Community College to open a Tri-C Access Center at our Otis Moss Jr. Health Center. The current space design supports cohort learning opportunities, counseling, classroom and small group learning, audio-visual presentations, on-line access, and teaching, within a modern infrastructure and amenities.  At this neighborhood-based site, short-term, intensive programming opportunities are accessible to improve job prospects. Through the Access Center, TANF recipients can engage in quality education, job training, and additional wrap around services leading to sustainable jobs that pay family-supporting wages. The environment is supportive and inclusive for TANF recipients, without regard to race, economic status, ethnic, sexual or gender identity. The overarching goals for the community-based Access Center is to:

*Reduce equity gap in educational attainment for minorities.

*Improve educational attainment for residents of distressed neighborhoods.  

*Reduce unemployment rates for residents of distressed neighborhoods.  

For this project, all participants must be at or below 200% Federal Poverty Level. Core offerings for TANF eligible community members available through the Tri-C Access Center include:

·         Vocational training opportunities

·         Professional skills development

·         Social support

·         Individual self-paced training

·         Personal development

·         Career services counseling

·         Work-Life solutions to help TANF recipient transition to independence.   

·         Self-help programs for building a road to personal success

·         Healthy lifestyle coaching

·         Digital literacy workshops  

·         Women in Transition Services

·         GED/ASPIRE for basic literacy development

·         English for Speakers of Other Languages

·         College and Career Readiness Workshops

·         Assistance with College

·         Financial Aid Applications

Services and resources will be phased in for in-person delivery starting upon receipt of the final agreement and purchase order from GOFBCI.  An Access Center Liaison would welcome community members, assess their TANF eligibility and connect them to workforce development resources that fit their capabilities and plans.  The Access Center Liaison and Access Center Program Director will work closely with the local Job and Family services and other community-based organizations to meet the needs of TANF recipients.  Monthly data collection and analysis tracks participant progress, implements continuous improvement processes, and documents progress for reports to stakeholders.