The Kessler Foundation of West Orange, N.J. has awarded a$484,452 Signature Employment grant to the National DisabilityInstitute of Washington, D.C., to launch an initiative to train andplace more than 70 people with disabilities in jobs at New Yorkcredit unions.

The project, “BEST (Building Economic Strength Together)Employees N.Y.,” will provide individuals who have disabilitieswith 20 hours of training in credit union operations, culture andhistory, its sponsors said.

“The candidates are getting basic training enough to be familiarwith a credit union operation, and be placed in a credit unionwhere they can get more on-the-job training,” said Elaine Katz,vice president of Grants and Special Initiatives at KesslerFoundation. In a similar program in New Jersey, candidates workedin bank teller positions and in marketing and secretarial jobs.

The Credit Union Association of New York is participating inthe program with the National Federation of Community DevelopmentCredit Unions in New York and other state agencies. CUANY willrecruit its credit union members to participate in the program andthen match trained applicants with job openings at credit unions,according to the Kessler Foundation, the program sponsors said.

“Individuals with disabilities are often an untapped resource inthe workforce. When given the opportunity, they have the skills togreatly contribute to an organization,” Katz said. “KesslerFoundation is particularly interested in this project becauseconsumer confidence in credit unions continues to increase, leadingto growth in the credit union sector.”