COVID–19 Grant Helps Fund Temporary Jobs
Wendy Ridge, coronavirus prevention staff for Dade County, shows a brochure for the Disaster Dislocated Worker National Emergency Grant. Ridge is a recipient of the grant.
By REBECCA HAZEN
News Editor
The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission (NWGRC) and Work Source Georgia is offering a Disaster Dislocated Worker National Emergency Grant through its Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Those in Dade County who have been unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic are encouraged to apply.
The Disaster Dislocated Worker National Emergency Grant (NEG) provides temporary employment opportunities for individuals whose employment has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Also, this grant can help provide trainingassistance offered by the technical colleges within the 15-county area of northwest Georgia.
Overseer of the NEG Grant in Dade County, Paula Stallings, said that NWGRC contacted each county and asked if they were willing to offer the grant.
According to Stallings, recipients of the grant get COVID-19 prevention related jobs, which last for 16 weeks.
“The jobs are cleaning related. For instance, we have a young lady who is working with the school system and she goes wherever they need cleaning. We also have someone cleaning the senior center,” Stallings said.
Wendy Ridge is a recipient of the grant, and is working at the Dade County Commissioner’s office. She was working at Uncle Lar’s Outpost, which had to close down for a while due to the pandemic.
Ridge said that she heard about the grant because she goes to church with Stallings on occasion, plus one of her friends had signed up for the grant as well.
“It feels good to have a good paying job,” Ridge said. “It takes a lot of stress and anxiety off.”
The eligibility requirements for the NEG Grant include:
Be at least 18 years old
A legal citizen of the United States
In compliance with the Selective Service Act
Workers temporarily or permanently laid off as a result of COVID-19
Workers laid off due to a plant or business closure related to COVID-19 or lack of work
Long-term unemployed individuals
Self-employed individuals unemployed or underemployed
An application is available online at www.careerdepot.org. Click on the Disaster/COVID-19 Application link.
“I think this grant has given people the opportunity to get back on their feet and get back in the workforce,” Stallings said.
For more information, contact Paula Stallings at (423) 280-5161 or pstallings@dadecounty-ga.gov, or Northwest Georgia Regional Commission’s Terri Morgan or Tammy Helbing at (706) 295-6485.