The Daily Bulletin

Buffalo State has been awarded a $230,000 grant from the NYS Department of Labor to facilitate a hospitality employment pipeline for justice-involved individuals.

The Training in Hospitality for Returning Individuals as Valued Employees (THRIVE) is a skills-based job-readiness program that brings together a robust collection of partners, including Peaceprints of WNY and the Erie County Sherriff’s Office. Training will be delivered on-site at the Erie County Correctional Facility by Hospitality and Tourism faculty, the Career and Professional Education Center, and the Buffalo Employment Training Center. Employment partners including Delaware North, Riverworks, Catholic Health, and Seneca One, who will be present throughout the program to discuss open positions and meet with participants to explain the qualities required to succeed in the industry. 

Hospitality and tourism was the hardest hit industry in Western New York by the pandemic. Formerly incarcerated individuals experience a joblessness rate 65 percent higher than the general population. This program will connect individuals most in need of work with an industry most in need of workers.

“Peaceprints is looking forward to the opportunity to work with Buffalo State and serve our folks looking for sustainable employment opportunities,” said Lindsey Allen, director of community programs. “As employment continues to be a barrier to reentry, programs to equip our clients with the skills necessary to obtain and retain employment are pivotal.”

At the conclusion of training and upon release, individuals will receive two industry-recognized credentials, industry-grade work apparel, and bus passes to sustain them until they start to collect a paycheck. The one-year grant will support training and job placement for up to 60 individuals. THRIVE will officially begin in fall 2023.