A Success Story

In the past 10 years, the County’s Welfare to Work program has provided more than 113,000 aid recipients with job-readiness and vocational training, and work experience placements, moving tens of thousands of county residents into the ranks of income earners. Rachel is one of them. With the loss of her employment in 2012, Rachel sought assistance from the County’s Transitional Assistance Department (TAD). Introduced to the Welfare to Work program, Rachel volunteered to participate in the Subsidized Work Experience Program. She was offered a paid on-the-job training position with the County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). “Luckily, I was placed with a great team who was supportive and encouraging. They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself,” Rachel said. Since accepting her first entry-level position, Rachel has promoted to Staff Trainer. “The collaboration between TAD and DBH has created a pathway out of poverty for me and my family,” Rachel said. “To go from not knowing how I was going to pay my rent or take care of my children, to being secure in my finances and a homeowner is incredible.” While the Welfare to Work program clearly benefits individuals, its impacts are felt countywide as it increases the number of income earners and reduces the number of those receiving public assistance.