INDIANAPOLIS —Indianapolis has extended its program that gives temporary jobs to people panhandling in the city through the end of the year.
The “Pathway to Employment” program was created through an extension of parking meter hours in downtown Indianapolis and Broad Ripple. The 20-week pilot program took place over the spring and summer months.
Over those 20 weeks, the program connected 43 people experiencing homelessness with daily jobs through Keys to Work, a local workforce development firm. The participants clean up litter for $10 an hour.
Of those 43 people, 18 have transitioned into stable full-time employment, a city spokesperson said.
Mayor Joe Hogsett’s proposed 2020 budget includes funding to make the program permanent.
“The results we have seen from the Pathway to Employment pilot are promising,” Hogsett said. “With continued investment in this program, we have the potential to help even more of our city’s vulnerable residents get connected with work experience and a paycheck, and ultimately, a bridge to more permanent employment and stability.”
