Etheridge Kicks Off Project To Help Johnston, Harnett Workers

News Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina

April 17, 2006

Contact: Joanne Peters
Phone: (202) 225-4531

Etheridge Kicks Off Project to Help Johnston, Harnett Workers

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) kicked off Project New Start today at Harnett Production Enterprises. Etheridge secured $175,000 in federal funding for the project, which is run through the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center. Etheridge presented a check for the funding, and was joined by Rural Center President Billy Ray Hall, Rural Center Senior Director Anne Scharff Bacon, Johnston-Lee-Harnett Community Action, Inc., Executive Director Marie Watson and Johnston County Industries Executive Director Vickie Shore.

"As the former Superintendent of our state's schools, I understand the important role that job training initiatives like Project New Start play in teaching all of our people the skills they need to be successful in today's economy. That economy is dynamic and changing every day. That is all the more reason why initiatives like this one are critically important to the strengthening of our work force," said Etheridge.

In Project New Start, community-based organizations work closely with public employment, training and human service agencies to meet the needs of laid-off workers. The project provides services that augment existing services to help more dislocated workers adjust to job loss, obtain training if needed, and find jobs in high demand in the local economy. The project is administered in Harnett and Johnston counties through Johnston-Lee-Harnett Community Action, Inc. and Johnston County Industries.

Project New Start began serving workers in the two counties today. The Harnett County location of the project is Harnett Production Enterprises, 100 Alexander Drive, Lillington, and the Johnston County location is Johnston County Industries, 912 N. Brightleaf Blvd., Smithfield.

-30-