Cobb Commissioner Richardson using real life experiences to champion “Bridge to Success”

Cobb Commissioner Jerica Richardson is putting her personal family experiences to work for Cobb families with the launch of “Bridge to Success.” Richardson, whose family fled Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina knows about being a family in need during a crisis. She and Worksource Cobb, a local workforce development nonprofit, are partnering on a program that will help match skilled workers looking for stable jobs with local firms.

During a recent meeting at Switzer Library in Marietta, Richardson shared the efforts if the pilot project as a win-win for workers and employers. Participating company’s commit to paying a regular amount, ranging from $500 to $1,000 for either six or 12 months, to subsidize housing costs for the worker. Job industries include IT, transportation and logistics, healthcare, manufacturing and the building trades. Starting small, Bridge to Success’s goal is to effectively get 10 families through the program before expanding.

Alisa Jackson, Worksource Cobb’s director of operations said, “We are still working through the logistics of how it’s going to work. We will be managing the money on our side and working with the employee to get those funds to the investor agencies that they are paying their rent to, or … their mortgage to.” Payments made to Worksource Cobb count as tax-deductible charitable contributions.

Bridge to Success will be targeted at Cobb residents who have suffered economically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants will not be required to prove a pandemic-related hardship. Jackson hopes the lower burden of self-attesting will help avoid delays in providing aide to the people who really need it.