Opportunities Industrialization Center of Broward County (OICB) receives $1.2 million dollar grant.

June 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida  - Opportunities Industrialization Center of Broward County (OICB), a non-profit workforce development, training and job placement center received notification from the Department of Labor (DOL) that they are one of only 18 non-profit organizations to receive funding for the fifth generation of the Reintegration of Ex-Offender (RExO) – Adult grant.  This 1.2 million dollar grant is to expand on the services of providing for employment opportunities for persons released from incarceration, providing training, mentoring, support services and job placement for persons returning to Miami-Dade county.
OICB has a long history in South Florida providing employment-focused services, including occupational training that leads to industry recognized credentials in demand industries. This grant will help OICB re-establish its presence in Miami-Dade mirroring the well-established and highly successful model they have been using in Broward County since 2001 as well as other programs for the target community over the last 11 years. The program will develop the participant’s skills and provide employment opportunities, in order to break the cycle of recidivism. Additional services including mentoring and assistance connecting to supportive services such as housing, substance abuse programs, and mental health treatment will be part of this program.
Wayne E. Rawlins, leader of the Miami-Dade Reentry Task Force states, “This is a major announcement for reentry efforts in Miami-Dade coming from a great organization.  OICB brings hope to the hopeless and we wholeheartedly support this initiative.”
W. George Allen, Esq., Chairman of the Board for OIC, provides incite stating, “This is about good will, but also simply makes good sense. The cost of incarceration far exceeds the cost to rehabilitate those who want the opportunity for a better life. We are delighted to be working with many community partners in both counties to provide services that not only allow reentry but increased jobs throughout these agencies as well.”
During the Second Chance Conference held in Washington DC this past May, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis discussed the RExO program. “I want to salute many of our wonderful grantees who are in this room today. We all know the statistics: About 44 percent of all incarcerated adults will reoffend when they get out of prison. But for participants in our RExO program, that number has been reduced to 14 percent. We're proud of this program's success. And we owe much of it to the tireless work of our faith-based partners.”
OICB has had a long-standing relationship with the DOL and was privileged to have Jane Oates, Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training Administration of the DOL as the keynote speaker at the annual graduation ceremony in January of this year. “The graduation ceremony is a highlight of the year for many of our graduates that have completed the program,” stated Newton B. Sanon, President & CEO of OICB. “Many times this is the ceremony that cements the accomplishment’s these participants have made and is a testimony to the desire they have to become productive members of society.”

Opportunities Industrialization Center of Broward County (OICB) will be working very closely with partner organizations in Miami-Dade and will be hiring additional staff to handle the increased workload. ”This grant helps the community from every level,” states Mr. Sanon. “Not only will this grant help the target community, but the business community will benefit with reliable, stable, grateful employees and we [OICB] will be providing jobs for professionals within the community directly. It is a Win, Win, and Win all the way around.”
About Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) of Broward County
Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) of Broward County) is a leader in workforce education and assimilation into the community at large for Broward County and was instrumental in securing the 2008 National Honor of Hope Award.  OIC of Broward has been recognized as the leader in community education for developing job skills and employment readiness for the under-served in our community. Reaching out to the unemployed, under-employed, persons with transgressions and  at risk youth, OIC of Broward makes a difference where it counts; in our community and with our business leaders to develop employment readiness, green jobs training and life skills training. OIC of Broward County believes and lives by the motto of “Helping People Help Themselves”.

For more information, please visit http://oicofbrowardcounty.org/.

Contact:
Linda Badreddine
Marketing & Community Outreach Coordinator
3407 NW 9th Ave., Suite 100
Oakland Park, FL 33309
lbadreddine@OICofbrowardcounty.org