Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh yesterday toured an employment and training program job site that provides voluntary employment and training programs for people receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), giving participants the opportunity to develop job skills, gain real-world work experience, find good-paying jobs, and succeed in the workforce.

Secretary Arkoosh met with staff and crews from Landforce, a nonprofit that invests in Western Pennsylvania’s workforce while working to repair the local environment. DHS partners with Landforce on its SNAP 50/50 program, which is a collaboration between community-based non-profit organizations, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and DHS.

“Programs like SNAP help Pennsylvanians live with dignity and safety by ensuring they can feed themselves and their families. But we know that food insecurity does not happen in isolation and often there are underlying structural factors that contribute to someone not having enough food to eat,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “In addition to providing nutrition benefits, we also must address the root causes of food insecurity such as lack of stable employment, training, or access to good paying jobs and larger societal issues like racism and intergenerational poverty. Landforce shows that this is possible every day by serving those who face structural barriers to employment and giving them the skills and confidence to take a step forward.”

Non-profit organizations leverage their own funding and funds from USDA to provide career-specific skills training for people receiving SNAP benefits that can help them achieve greater economic security. The programs also help their graduates secure and retain employment and connect them to support services, like transportation and childcare assistance. SNAP 50/50 partnerships come at no cost to the Commonwealth and create great value by helping individuals achieve greater economic security.

Founded in 2015, Landforce combines workforce development and environmental stewardship to recruit, train, and hire individuals who have historically been excluded from jobs that pay family sustaining wages. This may include individuals returning from incarceration, with substance use disorders, mental health diagnoses, almost all of whom have experienced generational poverty. During their nine to 12 months with Landforce, all of which is paid, crew members receive intensive skills training, work on environmental restoration projects, and participate in career coaching sessions. Ultimately, more than 90 percent of program finishers retain jobs for at least the following 12 months after leaving Landforce.

“SNAP 50/50 funding enables us to provide intensive training and certifications, one-on-one career coaching, and meet many of the individual outstanding needs of our crew members,” said Landforce Executive Director Ilyssa Manspeizer, PhD. “Crucially, because it was the first federal or state funding that Landforce ever received, SNAP 50/50 played a critical role in enabling us to prove our model, increase our capacity, and ultimately to attract significant additional federal dollars into our program and our region. We will be forever grateful for their early support.”

There are currently 27 SNAP 50/50 programs throughout Pennsylvania, offering an array of education and training opportunities. Learn more about SNAP 50/50 partnerships in PA here.

September is Hunger Action Month, which recognizes the prevalence of food insecurity in Pennsylvania and nationally as well as the daily and long-term impacts of not having enough to eat. Inadequate food and chronic nutrient deficiencies have profound effects on a person’s life and health, including increased risks for chronic diseases, higher chances of hospitalization, poorer overall health, and increased health care costs.

For more information on DHS’ employment and training programs and to apply for SNAP or other public assistance programs, visit dhs.pa.gov.