Catholic Charities Boston Receives $1 Million Grant from Healey-Driscoll Administration

Catholic Charities Boston received a $1,000,000 Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grant from the Healey-Driscoll Administration that will support the Agency’s Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide (NA/HHA) training programs, helping 156 unemployed and underemployed program graduates to secure sustainable NA and HHA positions.

Beyond enabling Catholic Charities Boston to provide Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide training to 156 participants annually, free of charge, as well as stipends to support students with expenses, the funding will allow the program to hire additional staff who will focus on outreach and enrollment in the community, job search, and placement support with the Agency’s employer partners Mass General Brigham, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Signature Healthcare.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to better serve our students and eliminate barriers to accessing training and jobs in healthcare,” said Jacqueline Chernoble, Director of Adult Education and Workforce Development. “In conjunction with our Healthcare Bridge ESOL Program, we are creating meaningful onramps to careers in healthcare with great employers who invest in developing and advancing their workforce.”

Catholic Charities Boston’s NA/HHA training program is one of seven initiatives across the state to receive a Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grant, which are funded through the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund (WCTF) and distributed by the Commonwealth Corporation. The grants will increase access to well-paying jobs for residents facing employment barriers and will help employers to improve their business’ productivity and efficiency.

“These grants will connect Massachusetts residents who typically face higher barriers to obtaining employment with the vital training and skills they need to create a meaningful career pathway, while also helping to ensure that employers have access to the skilled talent they need,” said Governor Healey. “Making the match between skills training and labor demand is critical for supporting our workers, employers, economy and competitiveness.”

Beyond creating greater opportunities for underemployed individuals, the grant will help local hospitals to address the national shortage of healthcare workers by increasing the number of skilled CNAs and HHAs who have completed high-quality trainings in their field. “These organizations are supporting our workforce by attracting those who are unemployed, underemployed, or experiencing barriers to employment and providing the necessary skills they need to succeed,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “These grants not only help connect people with job training in critical industries but helps expand our skilled talent pool for employers.”

Kathleen Curran-Nigl, NA/HHA Program Director for Catholic Charities Labouré Center in South Boston, said that the grant will offer many of her students the ability to provide for their families and achieve economic stability and self-sufficiency.

“The rewards of this grant will allow students to have the opportunity to move forward and have a chance at a better life,” said Curran-Nigl. “This grant will also help hospitals increase their staffing, which is incredibly necessary at this time. I am so grateful for the support and the motivation of my superiors to give everybody a chance to move forward in their careers.”

Learn more about Catholic Charities Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide Training Programs in South Boston and Brockton here.

About the Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grant and Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund

This project is funded by a Senator Kenneth J. Donnelly Workforce Success Grant (Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund FY’21 Appropriation) through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and is administered by Commonwealth Corporation.

The Workforce Competitiveness Training Fund works to make a positive impact on the lives of Massachusetts individuals and families through and increase the competitiveness of its businesses by creating demand-driven programs tailored to industry sectors. Learn more about this and additional funding opportunities on the CommCorp website.