News: Commissioners designate federal funding to connect people to jobs, combat hate incidents and more

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Hennepin County Minnesota

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-910-9111

 

County designates federal funding to connect people to jobs, combat hate incidents and more

The county board has designated American Rescue Plan Act funding to connect people to jobs, combat hate crimes and incidents and more.

 

$13M for tools to connect people to jobs

The board set aside $13 million to invest in people and businesses that have suffered economic hardships due to COVID-19.

Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) in Hennepin County have borne the brunt of illness and death due to COVID-19. This population also has a higher likelihood of having part-time, seasonal or gig work.

As a result, this population has suffered disproportionate economic loss due to COVID-19. Strategies will focus on supporting communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including:

  • Create a consortium of non-profits providing employment and training leading to living-wage jobs
  • Expand the SNAP Employment and Training program for people receiving SNAP food assistance
  • Reduce the benefits cliff (when small increases in income result in reduced or lost public assistance)
  • Provide tools to career seekers, providers, and businesses. These tools will help people gain skills, explore careers, connect with employers and apply for jobs.
  • Utilize the Workforce Leadership Council to connect to other metro and statewide efforts. The council will convene public and private sector employers, education and non-profit partners. Partners will address pandemic-related economic hardships, including the disparate impact on BIPOC communities.

 

$1M to gather data on hate incidents and crimes

The board designated $1 million for an initiative aimed at supporting victims of hate crimes and incidents.

An estimated 198,000 hate crimes occurred nationwide in 2017, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey.

Many Black and Asian Americans say they have experienced discrimination amid the COVID-19 outbreak. About four-in-ten U.S. adults say it’s more common for people to express racist views toward Asian Americans since the pandemic began, according to the Pew Research Center.

Many of these hate acts are neither reported to law enforcement nor charged as a criminal offense. This means victims often don’t get the resources and supports they need.

“If police don’t have evidence, they can’t charge a hate incident as a crime. Even if they believe there was hate, they have nothing to tell the victim,” said Commissioner Jeff Lunde, who brought this action forward, “There’s nothing worse than becoming a victim of hate and then a victim of the system. You double victimize people.”

A team will come together to collect data and analyze the scope of hate incidents in the county. This team will then make recommendations to mitigate, reduce and prevent incidents.

 

Additional ARP funding for more efforts

Hennepin County will continue to update hennepin.us with information about how we are allocating ARP funding.  

 

Look for more news on the Hennepin County website at hennepin.us/news.

Discover how we're making a difference in our communities at hennepin.us/stories.