Maryland’s Workforce Development Response to Homelessness Across the State - Workforce Development & Adult Learning

Since 2014, Maryland’s Interagency Council on Homelessness has been tasked with examining statewide initiatives and recommending policy solutions to end homelessness in the state. Among those recommendations is a proposal to blend housing services with workforce development strategies in order to create a pathway to housing stability.

In partnership with the Department of Housing and Community Development, Labor released the Workforce Solutions to Address Homelessness Competitive Grant Solicitation in February of 2022. This initiative seeks to establish partnerships across systems to align and coordinate the delivery of employment and related services to individuals at-risk-of or currently experiencing homelessness. Successful applicants had to demonstrate that they could form a consortium that includes workforce development partners, organizations that provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness, and employer and industry partners.

A total of nearly $1 million was awarded to five grantees across the state. A summary of awarded projects is included in the table below:

Applicant	Amount Award	Counties Served	Numbers Served	Brief Description
Allegany College of Maryland	$200,000	Allegany and Garrett	24	Allegany College will offer concurrent work readiness programming, housing, and supportive services for youth and families with children experiencing homelessness.
Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development (DEWD)	$200,000	Baltimore	75	DEWD will hire a Homeless Services Career Consultant to co-locate employment services at shelters throughout the county.
LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc.	$198,976	Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s	150	LifeStyles will enhance their wraparound support for individuals experiencing homelessness by bolstering workforce services through the co-location of a Workforce Development Coordinator.
Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET)	$200,000	Baltimore City	54	Veterans experiencing homelessness who are enrolled into MCVET’s workforce development program will receive wraparound employment support and case management to augment vocational training.
Horizon Goodwill Industries (HGI)	$199,000	Washington and Allegany	65	HGI will develop a construction career pathway for youth ages 16-24 who are experiencing homelessness.
Total:	$997,976		368