SEATTLE, WA (DATE, 2022)— FORWARD Platform, the leading integrated program administration solution for state and local governments, has partnered with the Washington State Department of Commerce to administer the Homeless Service Worker Stipend, which provides up to $4,000 to Homeless Provider Employees who are in need of immediate economic relief. The program is seeking additional applicants for the stipend, which is now accepting applications until June 3, 2023.
Applicants must apply by December 9, 2022 for the initial stipend of up to $2,000 in order to be eligible for a second stipend payment of $2,000, which they will be eligible for in 6 months if they continue to work for the same organization. However, applicants can apply for the initial stipend all the way through June 2023.
FORWARD has already distributed $3,835,000 to eligible workers and is expected to issue an additional $15,512,000 by mid-December. Eligible workers include those who are working directly, on-site with persons experiencing homelessness, have an immediate economic need, are at or below 80% of their county area median income, and those who are currently working for an eligible entity in Washington state.
“Homeless service workers play a crucial role in assisting the homeless population”, said Kathy Kinard, Homelessness Assistance Unit Managing Director, Washington State Department of Commerce. “This stipend will provide immediate assistance for costs associated with rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, transportation and other basic necessities.”
The Washington Department of Commerce contracted with the FORWARD Platform to screen individuals’ applications, validate expenses and distribute funding in a way that uses taxpayer dollars efficiently. Applicants can expect:
- Multilingual application assistance via phone, text and email
- Online application available in multiple languages
- To create a secure FORWARD account login
- To provide required documentation including a recent pay stub for an eligible organization, a completed W-9 form, a valid ID
- Successful applicants will receive funds via paper check within 2 to 4 weeks of approval
“FORWARD is proud to support the state of Washington’s approach to improve workforce retention and administer this relief,” said Adnan Mahmud, CEO of FORWARD. “We applaud the state’s innovative use of funds to provide relief to an area that is often overlooked.”
Workers are encouraged to apply through the online portal managed by FORWARD. To learn more about eligibility and qualifying economic needs, visit https://www.homelessworkerstipend.com/.
ABOUT FORWARD PLATFORM
The FORWARD Platform is the leading comprehensive Integrated Program Administration (IPA) solution for state and local governments across America. FORWARD modernizes the government’s approach to administering programs by integrating all essential services, components, people, and technology into a single streamlined and secure solution. From setting up the application back-end, community outreach and marketing, support in multiple languages, eligibility screening, fraud detection, distribution, to reporting, the platform distributes resources faster than ever before while also cutting waste and fraud. FORWARD has already helped governments administer dozens of programs to get resources to their citizens and businesses quickly, cost-effectively, and securely. To learn more visit www.forwardplatform.com.
