Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today hailed the Primavera Foundation, a Tucson poverty advocacy group, for receiving a new $500,000 award from the Department of Labor to train and reintroduce former criminal offenders into the workforce. The department’s Reintegration of Ex-Offenders program funds groups around the country that offer job training, mentoring, counseling and other services to former prisoners to help them rejoin and contribute to society.

The new grant is the fifth such annual award given to Primavera, one of 24 recipients of a total of $12 million nationwide this year. To date, the group has received just under $3 million to implement the program, which began in 2004.

“This is a great service to the community, and this is a wise and foresighted use of these funds,” Grijalva said. “Turning our backs on people looking to re-enter their communities is exactly the wrong approach. Training and preparing those who are willing to make the effort pays dividends, and I’m glad to see this important work being done in Tucson.”

The program is complemented by Department of Justice funds to state agencies aimed at pre-release and referral services for soon-to-be released offenders.

For more information about the award, which will be officially granted March 31, call the Primavera Foundation at (520) 623-5111.