Please know that I am extremely concerned about the proposed dismantling of the PA WORKWEAR funding in the upcoming Commonwealth of PA Budget. This funding replaced the Department of Public Welfare "special allowance" policy of giving money to welfare recipients to purchase clothing, a system that existed for 40 years with a recent cost of over 17 million dollars per year. The solution to this spending free fall was the Pennsylvania Work Wear Funding (PAWW). PAWW was designed, recommended and piloted by Dress for Success South Central PA, as a direct solution to issues raised by Auditor General, Jack Wagner's 2009 audit. Dress for Success South Central PA, along with other statewide organizations, uses the PAWW funding to serve needy women in 66 Pennsylvania counties - six of which are supported by Dress for Success South Central PA. The programs funded by PAWW provide so much more than just a suit - transforming lives and providing access to volunteers, computers, job training and mentoring! I am only one of thousands of women that know the value of these programs and support the funding of PAWW. Please restore funding to a proven system that saves the Commonwealth of PA millions of dollars while providing a way to give people a hand up not a hand out. Stay with a successful method to support job training programs with the professional and successful PAWW funded programs that have done an exceptional job.

Links