PROVIDENCE – The Citizens Charitable Foundation on March 29 granted $1.25 million to the Local Initiatives Support Corp. to support job growth in underserved communities.
The funding will support work at eight LISC Financial Opportunity Centers and help launch and expand digital services that prepare people for growth industries, including the information technology field.
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LISC’s financial opportunity centers are community-based programs that integrate services related to employment training and career coaching, job placement, financial coaching, and wrap-around social support such as child care, housing and transportation so that people can achieve long-term financial stability.
The grant directly benefits people who face the steepest structural barriers to opportunity. More than 83% of FOC clients are people of color, and 60% are women. Clients take advantage of a range of FOC programs so they can move into better-paying jobs and build a more stable financial future.
“Basic digital skills and access to technology and the internet are essential to participate in society and the economy,” said Katrin Sirje Kärk, LISC’s director of workforce innovations. “Advancing digital equity is a key LISC strategy for closing racial wealth gaps, and this grant from Citizens will help us embed digital skills training as a core component of the FOC experience, helping people build a strong career pathway for the future.”
The grant also builds on a Citizens pilot program that tested approaches to bridging the digital skills gap with one-on-one training, digital literacy workshops, ongoing digital coaching and job training for the information technology field.
“Citizens is committed to helping our communities thrive, and equitable access to digital literacy is key to economic vitality,” said Bruce Van Saun, chairman and CEO of Citizens Financial Group Inc. “We are proud to work with LISC to ensure that people in historically marginalized communities are able to build the skills they need to compete for jobs now and in the future.”
