GILROY
– Leaders of a major city social-services program say they’re
opening doors for welfare recipients to have better lives – but in
the face of a potential funding shortfall, they’re hoping the city
may be willing to help keep those doors open a little longer.
GILROY – Leaders of a major city social-services program say they’re opening doors for welfare recipients to have better lives – but in the face of a potential funding shortfall, they’re hoping the city may be willing to help keep those doors open a little longer.
The Mujeres Pueden program has made positive contributions for Gilroy, met most of its contractual goals and is even working to become more self-sufficient by securing its own nonprofit status, Program Manager Lorraine Bursese told council members during a study session Monday night.
However, with federal grant funding due to run out in September, she warned Council the program may require a “funding bridge” from the city to keep solvent until it can land other outside monies.
“Nine months is cutting it kind of close for grant funds,” Bursese said.
The program, whose title means “Women Can!,” was established by the city in 1999 through a $1.4 million federal welfare-to-work grant and aims to help provide financial independence for low-income parents and welfare families, especially females.
Mujeres Pueden’s offerings include traditional employment and support services – such as interview coaching and child care – as well as two unique internal programs. The “micro-enterprise” program shows welfare recipients how to start their own small businesses, while a “pre-apprenticeship” program prepares them for careers in non-traditional construction trades – such as ironworking or pipefitting – which tend to pay higher wages.
Bursese characterized the program as a success so far, noting it has met or exceeded federal goals for participants served, job placements and employment longevity.
As of December, the program had served 266 participants, about 40 more than a Department of Labor contract goal, Bursese said. Mujeres Pueden also met its goal of 140 job placements, 88 who have been employed for six months or longer.
“Those are pretty solid numbers for the clientele we’re talking about,” she said.
Meanwhile, seven graduates have started their own businesses and five have joined unions, with more expected to follow.
With the original federal funding expected to cease in September, Bursese said she is trying to establish nonprofit status for the program in an attempt to widen its horizons for other grants and ultimately become more self-sufficient. However, the Internal Revenue Service will have up to three months to process the program’s pending nonprofit application, she said, and officials will then have to find and land the grants – leading to the request for possible city bridge funding.
Although Council put off a formal discussion on the matter until upcoming budget discussions, several councilmembers had some questions Monday. For example, several wondered why the program is run by the City of Gilroy but also serves residents in outlying areas such as Morgan Hill and Hollister.
Program officials said they searched for clients outside Gilroy because strict eligibility requirements had limited the number of city residents that could enter the program under the federal grant. Two-thirds of the funds have to be spent on welfare recipients who have received 30 months of aid, Bursese said.
“The pool of eligible residents was somewhat smaller than expected,” she said.
But there’s great demand for the program’s welfare-to-work services within Gilroy, Bursese said, and without the strict federal requirements she hopes to expand the program’s reach in the future.
“We’ll get our doors pounded down,” without the requirements, she said.
Councilman Charlie Morales applauded the program’s efforts, but said he’d like to see more intensified outreach to local citizens. Morales also said he wants to ensure the program does not duplicate services provided by other agencies. Bursese said federal standards prohibit such duplication. But Bursese said Mujeres Pueden staff work with other caseworkers to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Councilman Roland Velasco noted social services are often provided by the county government, rather than cities.
“This is what counties do …” said Velasco, who is a social-services aide to District 1 County Supervisor Don Gage. “(The city) does better at concrete things like streetscape, rather than the ‘peoplescape,'”
Meanwhile, Council also heard a more direct plea for dollars from another social-service agency.
Officials with the Project Sentinel housing mediation program asked the city for $35,000 in funding in the upcoming year to adequately cover the amount of services it provides the city.
The program received $5,000 from the city in federal Community Development Block Grant funding during last year’s allocation cycle, according to past reports. But agency officials said neighboring governments such as Morgan Hill provide much more funding, but have many fewer cases.
“Gilroy cases constitute the majority of cases handled by our South County office, yet the funding for your city now comprises only a small fraction of our budget, approximately 24.5 percent,” said Martin Eichner, director the agency’s dispute resolution programs.
Councilmembers said they would consider the matter during upcoming budget discussions.
