This year it’s become harder than ever for charities and non-profit agencies to assist low income families just a paycheck away from extreme poverty. While the government is busy stuffing the pockets of corporate CEOs who masterminded the mortgage collapse in America, thousands of homes are being lost and many more young families becoming homeless. A major challenge of poverty prevention is education and job training. Everyone knows that proper job training and education costs have risen exponentially in the past two decades. In the mean time, our wages and earnings in America have remained stagnant at best.

Today the HUD's Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program received $49 million more dollars in grants that provide help to qualifying families. The funds will go to agencies to provide job training, childcare, counseling, transportation and job placement for low income recipients. In return, the head of the household must receive a job and no longer receive welfare benefits by the end of the fifth year in the program.

Furthermore, this program encourages home ownership and self-sufficiency. As the families’ income rises, a percentage of the raise is kept in an interest bearing Escrow account. At the end of the fifth year, if they no longer receive welfare benefits, they can receive the Escrow amount in one lump sum. They also receive home ownership counseling and assistance to help buy a home and maintain self-sufficiency.

This program gives low income families job training and opportunities they would not have access to on their own. It also gives them a goal in the near future they can work towards. As more low income families become self-sufficient, neighborhoods and communities can rebuild from this tough economic year.

For more information, you can visit HUD to view the final press release.