WASHINGTON – Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) today applauded the announcement that Total Action Against Poverty in the Roanoke Valley, Inc. will receive a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help working parents in Floyd, Giles, Montgomery, Pulaski, Radford, Salem and Roanoke access the quality, affordable child care they need to earn an education, participate in training programs, and ultimately compete for better-paying jobs in emerging industries.

“This is a long-term investment in the Roanoke Valley,” said the Senators. “When lower-skill, working parents have the opportunity to access affordable child care, they can go out and get skills and training that will allow them to get better-paying jobs and provide a better future for their children.”

Grants to 14 partnerships across the country were awarded as part of the Obama Administration's Strengthening Working Families Initiative.

The investments will strengthen and support public-private partnerships devoted to helping parents advance in their careers by bridging gaps between local workforce development and child care systems. Partnerships will facilitate access to training in a variety of industries such as information technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, financial services and educational services.

Participants in programs funded by these grants must be custodial parents, legal guardians, foster parents or others standing in place of the parent with at least one dependent. Grantees may use up to 25 percent of their total budget to provide quality, affordable care and other services to support participation in training.

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