[Archived] Alexandria Officals Cite Successes of Alexandria Works! Appeal for Expanded Employer Participation in City's Welfare Reform Program


News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:	Wednesday, April 10, 1996
Contact:	Tom Brannan, Assistant City Manager, (703) 838-4300 or Gary Cyphers, Director, Department of Human Services, (703) 838-0710

Alexandria Officals Cite Successes of Alexandria Works! Appeal for Expanded Employer Participation in City's Welfare Reform Program

Alexandria Mayor Kerry J. Donley joined with Alexandria Works!, a coalition of business, government, educational and charitable organizations working for successful welfare reform in Alexandria, to issue an appeal today for expanded participation
by employers in the City's welfare reform program.

Accompanied by leaders of the Alexandria Works! coalition, Mayor Donley announced that 123 Alexandria welfare recipients -- most of them women with one or two children -- found employment between July 1995 and March 1996, an effort begun well ahead of
the State's official April 1, 1996 start-up date for welfare reform in Northern Virginia. The 123 job placements represent a
56% increase over the same period of 1994-1995.

"Although April 1 marked the official starting date for welfare reform in Northern Virginia, Alexandria has been working diligently since last September to reduce its welfare case load during this period of transition," said Mayor Donley.

"But still ahead of us lies the challenge of finding employment for about 700 welfare recipients over the next six months. The message we are sending out today," said Mayor Donley, "is that we need and want the support of all Alexandria employers. We're asking that employers make a 'commitment to consider' hiring welfare recipients -- both now and in the future." The Mayor urged employers to call Alexandria Works! at (703) 838-0899 and indicate their support.

At a press conference in Alexandria early today, representatives of the City's business community reiterated their "commitment to consider" hiring welfare recipients for appropriate job vacancies. To date, 11 employers in Alexandria have made this commitment and many more are expected to join them in the days and weeks ahead.

Joining Mayor Donley at today's press conference were the co-chairs of Alexandria Works! -- Alexandria Vice Mayor Redella S. Pepper and Councilman William D. Euille -- and members of the Employer Advisory Committee, chaired by Kathy Snyder, President
and CEO of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.

Speaking on behalf of local businesses was Steve Lerman, Office Manager for Employment Services at Giant Food, one of the
City's largest private employers.

Other participants at the press conference were Alexandria City Manager Vola Lawson and two other key members of Alexandria
Works!: Nancy LaValle, Regional Director of the Alexandria United Way and chair of the Charitable and Religious Organizations
Committee; and Angie Godfrey, Director of Alexandria Head Start and chair of the Child Care Committee.

Alexandria Works! is a coalition of businesses, nonprofit and religious organizations and government agencies working for successful welfare reform in Alexandria. The goal of Alexandria Works! is to assist persons on welfare (those receiving benefits under the Federal Aid to Families with Dependent Children, or AFDC) to become employed in private sector jobs.

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