Partner Story:

For more than 40 years, the City of Hawthorne and the South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB) have teamed up to develop programs that promote economic vitality and enhance the quality of life for all segments of the community.

Among the many corroborations is the SBWIB Hawthorne Teen Center that provides a safe after-school alternative to Hawthorne area youth ages 14 to 18. Mentoring, homework assistance, recreational activities, career counseling and other offerings are provided by SBWIB staff. The City of Hawthorne provides a no cost facility within the Hawthorne Memorial Center complex.

During the post-pandemic period, the City turned to the SBWIB to help market an eGift The SBWIB’s Card Program for merchants to sell to customers whose dollar value was matched by stimulus funds provided under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Twenty-four businesses participated in the program. Additionally, the SBWIB is providing incumbent worker training, grant development assistance and financial management workshops for small businesses through funding by the city.

Other pilot programs the SBWIB has supported financially in recent years are the Park Ranger Patrols that helped make the City’s park facilities a safer environment for families, and a Customer Service Online Course for city employees that work face-to-face with the public.

The SBWIB is also assisting the City with its support services for its unhoused population by providing training and job placement services for qualifying applicants funded in part by the city.