FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 26, 2023 – The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) announced today its first cohort of partners to advance the role of community colleges through implementation of SNAP Employment & Training (E&T) programs. As SNAP E&T third party providers, community colleges provide job- and skills training for individuals enrolled in their respective states' SNAP E&T programs. As open access educational institutions predominantly serving low-income individuals, community colleges are well suited to serve in this critical SNAP E&T role.
ACCT is excited to announce the participating institutions in cohort one: Mohawk Valley Community College, Utica, N.Y.; Ulster County Community College, Stone Ridge, N.Y.; Guam Community College, Mangilao, Guam; BridgeValley Community and Technical College, South Charleston, W.V.; and Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges, Brockton, Mass. The West Virginia Community and Technical College System will also serve in a leadership and support capacity to advance the work in West Virginia.
“Community colleges are a natural fit as SNAP E&T third-party providers given the goal for SNAP recipients to receive education and support that will allow them to obtain employment and build their careers moving forward,” said ACCT President and CEO Jee Hang Lee.
ACCT will select two cohorts each from state systems and rural community colleges to participate. By focusing on state systems, this project will leverage a train-the-trainer model to bring multiple sites for SNAP E&T programs at community colleges into operation at once. And by focusing on rural community colleges, more SNAP E&T programs will become available in high-needs communities. States and colleges interested in being selected for the second cohort may contact Linda Rhoads at ACCT’s Center for Policy and Practice for further information.
Throughout the three-year project, ACCT and partners will focus on disseminating lessons learned through web resources, toolkits, and a white paper brief. Additionally, ACCT will host an annual convening each year to provide an overview and guide for community colleges so that any interested will have an avenue to do so.
In addition to stipends for their work, the first cohort of the project will benefit from a new compilation of tools and resources specifically designed to support community colleges in the development of their SNAP E&T programs. Funded by a grant awarded to ACCT by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service, the project specifically supports rural-serving community colleges and state community college systems.
###