News Releases
Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - May 18, 2004
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact:  Kristin Alexander, WorkFirst Media Relations Coordinator, 360-902-9307

Gov. Gary Locke Honors Businesses for Helping Washington Families Move from Welfare to Work

Gov. Gary Locke today recognized 73 businesses for being outstanding WorkFirst partners – providing jobs that help strengthen Washington’s economy and breaking the cycle of poverty for families who have made the transition from welfare to work.

“Today we celebrate the power of opportunity and the power of helping people better their lives,” Locke told employers during an awards ceremony at South Seattle Community College. “WorkFirst goes well beyond just getting people off welfare. It helps people get a job, get a better job, and achieve a better life.”

This is the second time the governor has presented awards to show appreciation for Washington state businesses that have contributed to the success of WorkFirst, the state’s successful six-year-old welfare reform program. The first awards ceremony was held in November 2002. WorkFirst nominates the businesses for the awards.

Since 1997, business partners have helped more than 140,000 WorkFirst parents leave welfare and stay off. During the last program year (July 2002-June 2003), more than 25,000 WorkFirst parents found jobs.

“WorkFirst is an outstanding example of the partnership approach at its best,” Locke said. “The program brings business, government, education and people in need together. Instead of perpetuating the poverty cycle, we are breaking it. Instead of encouraging people to stay on welfare, we’re helping people escape welfare to become contributors to our economy.”

Locke shared with the audience the story of Sergey Datskiy. Datskiy came to America as a refugee from the Ukraine with his wife and eight children in August 1998. He worked hard, earning up to $11 per hour. But with such a large family, that just wasn’t enough for him to leave public assistance. He was then able to complete a pipe welding program at Bellingham Technical College. Dakota Creek Industries (one of the businesses honored) hired Datskiy and he now earns $18.25 an hour. He and his family were recently able to buy a home.

The event also included a panel discussion involving employers and workers from four Washington companies – Westport Shipyard, Marshall’s of Seattle, Huntwood Industries of Spokane, and Bethany of the Northwest in Everett. Company representatives shared personal experiences about how WorkFirst has benefited them.

Westport Shipyard, which has operations in Westport, Hoquiam and Port Angeles, hired nearly 70 workers referred last year by employment specialists at WorkSource Grays Harbor. Twenty-five of those were WorkFirst parents.

The company’s Human Resources Director Craig Clark said WorkSource and WorkFirst staff have been extremely helpful in finding qualified applicants for the company.

“No matter how much recruiting we do and how many staff we have on hand, we can’t interview everyone who comes through the door,” he said. “To have mediators who can screen these applicants has been a huge benefit. They recognize the people who have the qualities, desire and work ethics our company looks for, and who want to make a long-term commitment.”

Clark said many of the workers he’s found through WorkSource and WorkFirst have excelled in their professions and advanced in their careers.

Locke said everyone wins with WorkFirst. Participants become more self-reliant, businesses gain valued employees and save on hiring and training costs, communities receive more tax revenue and government reduces its welfare costs, he said. “Costs go down and employment goes up. That’s definitely a winning combination.”

The number of families on welfare in Washington state has dropped by 42 percent since 1997 to about 57,500. State spending on welfare grants has been cut by a third. The proportion of the state population on welfare is less then 2.5 percent, the lowest level in more than 30 years.

The governor said the businesses that partner with WorkFirst are a key part of that success.

WorkFirst services are administered by the state’s Department of Social and Health Services, Employment Security Department, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

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Related links: www.governor.wa.gov; www.workfirst.wa.gov

Editor’s Note: A complete list of businesses that received recognition is attached. Statewide awards were given to selected businesses that have been strong partners throughout the region and have supported WorkFirst at a corporate level.






2004 WorkFirst Business Appreciation Award Winners

Agbar Technologies, statewide
Allstate Insurance Agency, Mason and Kitsap counties
Armed Forces Bank, Pierce County
Armstrong In-Home Personal Care & Respite Services, King County
Associated Physicians For Women P.L.L.C., Benton County
Basic American Foods, Grant County
Bethany of the Northwest, Snohomish County
Bon-Macy’s, statewide
Callaway Gardens Alzheimer’s Special Care Center, Benton County
Clarkston Care Center, Asotin County
Cowlitz Container & Display, Inc., Cowlitz County
Creative Living Services, King County
Dakota Creek Industries, Whatcom County
Danielle Stephenson (Weyerhaeuser), King County
ER Solutions, King County
Expedia, Inc., Pierce County
Fred Meyer Stores, Bellingham, Whatcom County
Fred Meyer, #654, Douglas County
Garrison Creek Lodge, Walla Walla County
Golden Dreams Management, Asotin County
Group Health Cooperative, Snohomish County
Group Health Cooperative, statewide
Harrison Hospital, Kitsap County
Hewes Marine Company, Stevens County
Holland America Line Inc., King County
Home Depot # 4718, Clark County
Huntwood Industries, Spokane County
ICT Group, Spokane County
Inn at Port Hadlock, Jefferson County
Johnson Controls World Services Inc., Kitsap County
Kalaloch Ocean Lodge, Jefferson County
Keeler’s Medical Supply Inc., Yakima County
Kinko’s, statewide
Lewis County Forest Products, Lewis County
Liberty Country Place, Lewis County
Manpower #1209, Thurston County
Marshall’s #507, King County
Maryhill Museum of Art, Klickitat County
Matrix Service Inc., Whatcom County
Mill Plain Children’s Village Day School, Clark County
Molina Healthcare of Washington, Snohomish County
North Valley Hospital and Nursing Home, Okanogan County
Nott-Atwater, Spokane County
Providence Everett Medical Center, Snohomish County
Provisional Services Inc., Spokane County
QFC, statewide
Quartzite Mountain Nursery, Stevens County
Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), statewide
Safeco, statewide
Safeway, Bellevue and Seattle stores, King County
Safeway, statewide
Staff Pro, King County
Starbucks, statewide
SunBridge Special Care Center – LakeRidge, Grant County
Super 8 Motel, Pacific County
Swedish Medical Center, statewide
Target, statewide
The Red Lion Hotel /Port Angeles Crab House, Clallam County
Tulalip Tribe, Snohomish County
Twin City Foods, Kittitas County
Twin County Credit Union, Spokane County
United Parcel Service, King County
United Parcel Service, statewide
URS Corporation, Pierce County
Verizon Wireless, statewide
Walgreens #3514, Pierce County
Washington Mutual Bank, Snohomish County
West Star Corporation, Thurston and Pierce counties
Westport Shipyard, Inc., Grays Harbor and Clallam counties
Yakama Forest Products, Yakima County
Yakama Nation, Yakima County
Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, Yakima County


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