Employ2Empower Workforce Program - Precinct 2 & Harris County Sheriff's Office

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

In June 2021, Harris County’s Precinct 2 launched the Employ2Empower (E2E) workforce program that employs the Precinct’s unhoused population living in encampments. E2E is structured as a low-barrier, employment-first model that provides a viable path to a healthy, productive, and economically stable future for the participants. The E2E program hires a crew of 10 unhoused individuals living in encampments and provides them with compensation ($13 hr.) for their work. The crew works 3 days in the field and on the 4th day they receive resources such as housing services, workforce training, and personal development coaching. The work performed includes graffiti removal, illegal dumping abatement, and maintenance of public as well as county-owned properties. Between June 2021 and February 2022, the program served a total of 67 participants; of which 29 received additional employment opportunities; 30 were assessed for housing; 13 were housed; and 34 received sober coaching and peer support. The participants have worked a total of 143 sites, cleaned 103 graffiti tags, and used 36 gallons of paint. Due to its success, Employ2Empower is expanding county-wide in May and will increase the pay to $15 per hour while continuing to provide resources to meet the participants’ basic needs.