The Governor’s Welfare Employment Committee announced the winners of its 2017 TANF Employment Awards of Excellence.
The recognized 39 employers in Delaware who hire, train and maintain positive working relationships with employees who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits, and 47 TANF clients who have succeeded in the workplace despite the challenges they have faced.
Nominations for the awards were submitted by individuals and organizations from communities across the state, and winners were selected by members of the Governor’s Welfare Employment Committee. One award is presented to an employer and an employee from each county, as well as one overall award to an employer and an employee.
The employee winners of the 2017 TANF Employment Awards of Excellence, who were honored at a breakfast ceremony April 19 at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, are:
- New Castle County: Gienavive Johnson
- Kent County: Patricia Milburn
- Sussex County: Valarie Purnell
- Statewide: Akira Collins
The employer winners of the 2017 TANF Employment Awards of Excellence are:
- New Castle County: Dust Away Cleaning
- Kent County: God’s Way Thrift Store
- Sussex County: Delmarva Clergy United in Social Actions (DCUSA)
- Statewide: Dover Downs Hotel & Casino
The event was hosted by the Governor’s Welfare Employment Committee, the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Labor, the Delaware Economic Development Office, and DART. All nominees were invited to the ceremony.
In addition to Secretary Walker and Gyarmati, attendees also heard a personal story from Lindsey Hill, a former TANF client who now works as a senior social worker for DHSS’ Division of Social Services in Dover. Hill credited a DHSS staff person in Bridgeville who “listened the whole time” when she applied for TANF benefits and other supports in 2011. Now as a senior social worker, she said, “I might be helping someone the way I was helped.”
To hire a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipient or to learn more about the TANF employment initiative, contact the Delaware Department of Labor, at 302-761-8085.
In Fiscal Year 2016, the Department of Health and Social Services had 4,976 TANF cases, serving 8,245 children, plus their parents.
The average TANF household grant was $266 per month.
TANF is a time-limited program, and work-mandatory clients can receive TANF benefits for a maximum of 36 total months in their lifetimes.
To get a monthly TANF benefit, most clients must work or participate in work-related activities for 20 to 40 hours per week, depending on the number of parents in the household and the age of their children.
In Fiscal Year 2016, employment and training vendors served 1,704 clients in Delaware, with 329 clients earning full-time jobs and 408 earning part-time jobs.
