SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. – This afternoon, the Spokane County Board of Commissioners approved an agreement with the City of Spokane and the Spokane Workforce Council (SWC) to provide ongoing financial support for the Resource Center of Spokane County.
The Resource Center of Spokane County brings together various service providers providing a range of services that meet Spokane County residents’ needs to help stabilize their living situations and enter paths toward economic self-sufficiency. The services provided at the Resource Center are tailored to meet the Four Pillars of Opportunity identified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which are economic empowerment, educational advancement, health and wellness, and character/wellness.
Spokane County’s financial support will be the first allocation paid out from funds the County received from the American Rescue Plan (ARP). One of the clear eligible uses of ARP funds, as advised by the U.S. Department of Treasury, is to use the funds on public jobs programs, subsidized employment, combined education and on-the-job training programs, or job training to accelerate rehiring or address negative economic or public health impacts experienced due to a worker’s occupation or level of training.
Josh Kerns, Chair of the Spokane County Board of Commissioners, stated, “This is a very beneficial use of ARP funds for our community. I’ve had the opportunity to work with SWC and witness the tremendous assistance offered by our Resource Center of Spokane County. The Resource Center helps job seekers access employment, education, training and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. These are the type of programs I’m excited to support, because they have such a long-term return on investment for our region.”