Governor Cuomo Announced Projects to be Funded Through The Alliance for Economic Inclusion Anti-Poverty Initiative
On February 10th, Governor Cuomo announced that 39 projects will be funded through Round 2 of the $30 million Alliance for Economic Inclusion (AEI) anti-poverty initiative in Central New York. Founded in 2017, the AEI is comprised of a group of 24 community leaders from the five counties of Central New York who represent the region's diversity of government, business and academia and work to address economic opportunities and challenges identified by the community. Onondaga County administers the initiative with funding from the State, including more than $16 million to support projects in Round 2.
"This administration has taken poverty head on and continues to make strategic investments across New York that are empowering our communities and creating economic opportunity," Governor Cuomo said. "These projects will help remove barriers to success experienced by many of the most vulnerable New Yorkers and enable meaningful change, while continuing to build on the positive momentum that has Central New York rising."
The AEI is being funded through the successful CNY Rising Upstate Revitalization Initiative plan submitted by the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council (CNY REDC), which was tasked with addressing poverty in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Oswego and Onondaga Counties. Estimates based on 2018 population data show 14.5 percent, or 107,531, of Central New York residents live in poverty. The poverty rate is significantly higher in more populated centers such as the City of Syracuse.
The awarded projects cover a broad range of issues and are broken into six categories: Early-Childhood Education, Transportation, Workforce Development, Post-Secondary Education, Neighborhood Revitalization and Access to Startup Funding. More than half of the projects awarded focus on workforce development, the lack of which remains a significant barrier to moving people out of poverty.
Oswego County was awarded funding for three projects:
Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. will create career pathways for low-income individuals from distressed communities, through the SCORE Oswego County program, by establishing workforce and education strategies that align with employer needs. They have been awarded $180,000 for this project.
Oswego Bookmobile, Inc. administers Driving Books Home, a mobile, seven-week summer literacy program that drives books, hands-on activities and healthy snacks into neighborhoods where the neediest children live. They have been awarded $124,611 for a new book mobile.
The Salvation Army of Oswego County supports Pathway of Hope in Oswego County, a national initiative and long-term intensive case management strategy for families motivated to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty. They have been awarded $293,706 for this project.
Additional projects, affecting Oswego County in conjunction with other counties, received funding also.
