New SNAP E&T Choices Available

The SNAP Employment and Training program has added three additional options for those seeking employment or looking to upgrade their skills. This free federal program provides job training for those Rhode Islanders who are 18 and older and who are participants in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, and are not currently receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families).

The SNAP E&T program will now offer training through the Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC), a manufacturing skills training and basic education training facility; and the Community College of Rhode Island will offer GED instruction at its campus in Providence. The Newport Community School on America’s Cup Way has also listed a new Certified Nursing Assistant program. All three providers are offering these programs for free for students who are at least 18 years old and receive SNAP or are a part of a SNAP household.

Each year, the SNAP E&T program provides training, wrap around support such as bus fare, uniforms, child care, and job placement assistance including resume writing and interview preparations, to SNAP participants to help provide a path for sustainable employment and living wage jobs.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer these additional choices for career development for Rhode Islanders,” said Patti Ianiere, Assistant Administrator for SNAP E&T at the Rhode Island Department of Human Services. “last year, we were able to provide this critical training to a record number of participants. Next year, with the addition of these three providers, we will most certainly provide many more with a clear path to a living wage job.” 

Annually, SNAP E&T provides training to an average of 1,200 participants each year. In the fiscal year ending in September, that figure nearly doubled to 2,084 who participated in job training programs.

“JARC is a newcomer to Rhode Island, but we’ve been working in this space for many years in Chicago,” said Regan Brewer, title at JARC. “Rhode Island once excelled as a manufacturing hub, but many of those skills have been lost through the years. We’re providing training in welding, CNC operation and mechanical assembly — and our graduates are finding high-paying jobs.”

CCRI will also be a new SNAP E&T offering this year. On its Providence campus, the Community College will provide access to the GED® (General Educational Development) program for free to adults aged 18 and older who are receiving SNAP benefits or are part of a SNAP family. The rigorous curriculum, called the Bridge Program, offers subject education and practice tests in the four content areas in the college equivalency exam. After participants pass the component exams, they receive a high school diploma.  

The GED program is a critical qualification of getting Rhode Islanders back to work,” said Jamie Nash, Executive Director of Workforce Operations at CCRI. “Having a high school diploma is very often the starting point for being qualified for a job, and unfortunately, it is missing from many resumes. It’s the first step in getting people into the workforce.”

The GED is a four-part nationally recognized high school equivalency test aligned with state standards. For those who are not yet ready to take the exam, CCRI offers a no-cost Bridge Program to help students develop skills in language arts, math, science, or social studies. The Bridge Program offers morning and afternoon options and requires a commitment of 12-20 hours per week, depending on the courses selected. 2022-2023 classes will be offered in-person.

The Newport Community School will offer Certified Nursing Assistant training which will provide students with basic nursing skills, cover body systems and diseases, and provide instruction in pre- and post-operative care. The SNAP E&T program provides uniforms, books and training materials and test and certification fees.

“CNAs are in high demand in Newport, and elsewhere in Rhode Island,” said Tracy Shea, Director of the Newport Community School. “This program is conveniently located inside the Newport Gateway Center transit station downtown and very accessible to Newport residents.” 

The three new providers brings the total providers of SNAP E&T providers to 15 entities across the state including Amos House and Genesis Center in Providence, Connecting for Children and Families and Rhode Island Regional Adult Learning (RIRAL) in Woonsocket, and the Westerly Education Center in Westerly. Other providers include Crossroads, Foster Forward, Open Doors, Dorcas International, Westbay Community Action Program, Year Up, and the Providence Public Library.

“The SNAP E&T program is one way we’re working with workforce development partners to provide access to better paying jobs and to create pathways for income and wealth-building opportunities,” said Jeanne Cola, Executive Director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Rhode Island. “Adding additional providers to this offering is a great success for our team.”

Rhode Island SNAP Employment and Training is a program of the Rhode Island Department of Human Services, and is managed by LISC, which oversees the program and facilitates federal reporting and reimbursement for the workforce development partners. The team has sought to add additional providers to the program to ensure both a geographic distribution, but also to offer a wide range of training options. The addition of JARC to the program was facilitated by JARC’s long-term relationship with LISC in Chicago and its position there as a Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), a program offered by LISC’s Income and Wealth Building practice area. LISC supports two FOCs in Rhode Island, including Amos House and Genesis Center.

About the Local Initiatives Support Corporation:
LISC is a national nonprofit that equips communities with the capital, program strategy and know-how to become places where people can thrive. Since 1991, LISC Rhode Island has invested more than $460 million in Rhode Island and attracted an additional $1.5 billion from public and private sources resulting in more than 9,106 affordable homes and apartments and more than 2.5 million square feet of retail and community space.

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