CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gov. Jim Justice announced recently that funds from two federal grants will enable the hiring of temporary workers to assist in disaster clean-up in West Virginia.

“These funds will help us to continue to restore and rebuild areas of our state that were ravaged by flooding earlier this year,” said Justice.

One grant in the amount of $863,069.00, will support efforts in the Eastern Panhandle region. Another grant of $772,608.00, will aid work along the Ohio River and North Central and Southern West Virginia.

The Human Resource Development Foundation, Inc. is slated to receive this funding under the U.S. Department of Labor National Dislocated Worker Grant for Program Year 2018. WorkForce West Virginia selected HRDF as the winning bidder after putting the project out to bid, as is standard state procedure. WorkForce WV will now assist HRDF by providing the information necessary to acquire and use the funds.

In the Eastern Panhandle, funds will go toward temporary employment of workers to assist in clean-up of FEMA declared disasters in Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton counties. This follows the flooding in the Eastern Panhandle which led Gov. Justice to declare a State of Emergency on June 3, 2018. The funds can be used to serve 65 eligible participants.

In other areas of the state, funds will go toward temporary employment of workers to assist in clean-up of FEMA declared disasters in Brooke, Cabell, Calhoun, Doddridge, Hancock, Harrison, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Preston, Ritchie, Taylor, Tyler, Wayne, Wetzel, Wirt and Wood counties. This follows the severe storms which occurred during Feb. 14-20, 2018. The funds can be used to serve 140 eligible participants.