Lawmakers make case for investing in workforce development to help underserved populations, uplifting local communities
Senator Tim Kaine and Congressman Bobby Scott visit South Norfolk to learn about the Neighborhood initiative.
CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Using federal funds to empower people to secure high-paying jobs, and at the same time, uplifting local communities was the subject of a local stakeholders' roundtable on Monday.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Virginia, 3rd District) spoke to the heads of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and Neighborhood — an economic empowerment organization dedicated to bridging the gap between low-income communities and meaningful regional employment.
The lawmakers were told that every one-dollar spent on such initiatives results in five-dollars returning to communities such as South Norfolk.
"We knew that this was a good program and that's why Senator Warner and I and Congressman Scott went to bat for funding for them so [they] can train more people," said Kaine.
"The return on investment is always huge when you make those kinds of investments allowing people to transform their lives," said Scott.
Kaine and Scott helped secure $275,000 dollars in Congressionally directed spending in the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding appropriation bill to expand Neighborhood's "Career and Community Development Program."
The idea is to strengthen the connection between underserved populations and economic opportunity.