Slater was in Atlanta for the Welfare to Work Partnership and the American Enterprise Foundation national kick-off of welfare to work initiatives in Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Washington, D.C., New York, San Antonio and St. Louis. When the score card on welfare reform is added up, I believe transportation will be regarded as a bridge to financial opportunity, not a roadblock to economic independence.
Transportation is the tie that binds.
He went on to say that since the inception of the federal government's welfare to work hiring initiative, the Department of Transportation has already hired 140 former welfare recipients, and he applauded transportation companies like UPS, United Airlines and Cessna, for leading the way. Enterprise Foundation President Bart Harvey unveiled a series of initiatives to help local businesses find work-ready welfare recipients. In each of the eight cities announced, the Partnership and Enterprise will work to prepare welfare recipients for the workforce, connect businesses with work-ready welfare recipients, establish effective job networks and counsel on incentives and benefits for employers and welfare recipients. The Welfare to Work Partnership is an independent, national effort of the business community to help move people on welfare into jobs in the private sector. The Partnership consists of 3,500 employers that have made the commitment to hire and retain former welfare recipients.