Texas has a reputation as a prosperous state with a booming economy that is great for business. But many Texas families aren’t experiencing this same success. The poverty rate in Texas is 13.4%. Unique challenges—such as Texas’ large immigrant population and a mismatch between labor market demands and the skills of workers—means many Texans can’t tap into the economic opportunities that their home state offers.
This is where private workforce development programs come in—those designed to help people gain the skills and supports they need to find stable employment that will help them overcome poverty and thrive. And this is also where LEO comes in. We are launching a new cohort of Texas provider partners focused on workforce development in the state. We want to identify the programs that demonstrate the most promise for successfully lifting people out of poverty.
In partnership with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, we launched our Texas cohort in May. Participating organizations are:
- Catholic Charities of Dallas (Dallas, TX), with a focus on financial coaching for low-income clients.
- Catholic Charities Galveston-Houston (Houston, TX), with a focus on supporting low-income families.
- Combined Arms (Houston, TX), with a focus on supporting military members as they transition to civilian life.
- The Excel Center (Austin, TX), with a focus on supporting adults in earning a high school diploma and transitioning to college and career.
- Jewish Family Service (Houston, TX), with a focus on supporting home health care workers.