New program to provide bus tokens to youth workers

June 2, 2006 -- Youth from low-income families in Hamilton County who haven’t been able to find and keep jobs because they lack transportation will soon get some much-needed help.

HCJFS, in partnership with the Super Jobs Center, will start a new transportation program on July 1 called “On the Move.” The program will help youth in families below 200 percent of poverty ($40,000 for a family of four) find and apply for jobs--then get to and from work once they are hired. Youth must be 14- to-21 years old and not involved in other workforce development programs. Staff members expect to serve about 1,500 over the next year.

Plans call for youth to work with a case manager, who will help them determine what type of transportation they need. They’ll then work out a plan to set up the transportation and provide up to 90 bus tokens for work-related needs and up to three bus passes to be used to get to and from work.

The program targets 14-19 year olds who are still in school, and 16-21 year olds who have at least one child and who are not getting transportation assistance through another program.

HCJFS received a $317,701 grant from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to start the program, part of the $199 million in TANF dollars the state recently released.

For more information, contact the Youth Zone at the Super Jobs Center, 731-9800.