I represent Cleveland County as the Local Elected Official that oversees the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board (COWIB). The agency works in Cleveland, Oklahoma, Canadian and Logan Counties. It is Federally funded through the Commerce Department.
The COWIB applied for a National Emergency Grant after the May 2013 tornados in Canadian, Cleveland and Oklahoma Counties in the amount of $2,000,000 for direct wages for the clean up.
This outreach effort enabled us to assist both those directly impacted by the storms and long-term unemployed individuals in the COWIB area. During the grant we placed 361 individuals in temporary jobs to aid in disaster relief. Several of these individuals were able to find permanent jobs through the experience and skills applied through this program.
