Santa Cruz County receives $1.5 million grant for fire recovery workforce
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The Santa Cruz County Workforce Development Board (WDB) has been awarded $1.5 million in grant money through the state's Employment Development Department (EDD).
According to county officials, the money will be used to to fund the employment of workers who are unemployed or underemployed due to the CZU Lightning complex fires.
WDB will be partnering with organizations such as Goodwill Central Coast, the Santa Cruz County Department of Parks, and several others to distribute the money for a program known as "Fire Impact Recovery Effort" (FIRE).
FIRE will help up to 75 displaced workers, and they will be hired for up to one year. They will be conducting fire recovery and resiliency activities in specific park and open space locations that were impacted by the fires, according to county officials. This includes state parks like Big Basin, Henry Cowell, Wilder Ranch and more.
Each temporary employee must go through safety training before working. They will also be eligible for up to $300 for needed work items such as tools and work clothing. At the end of the disaster recovery grant, county officials say workers will receive assistance to locate and secure permanent employment.
To be eligible, you must be one of the following:
For more information, contact: info@workforcescc.com.
