Rural Works Program

Rural Works! is an economic development strategy that offers a holistic approach to eliminating poverty. Rural Works! is based on the successful Cincinnati Works! employment program. The goal of Cincinnati Works! is to help low-income area residents overcome their barriers to stable, long-term employment. River Valley Resources has an exclusive contract with Cincinnati Works! to create the only rural variation of this model in the nation.

Rural Works! serves two segments of the population: those who are currently unemployed, and those who are underemployed e.g. the working poor. The short-term goal for the unemployed is to help them stabilize in a job that pays $7.25 to $10.00 per hour with health benefits. The long term goal for the underemployed is for them to earn 200% of the federal poverty rate and move to economic self-sufficiency. Economically self-sufficient people become taxpayers and productive citizens who no longer require public assistance.