Mayor Announces Grants for Madison Apprenticeship Program

Madison – Mayor Dave Cieslewicz today announced two grants from the Allied Drive and Emerging Neighborhoods Fund. The Madison Apprenticeship Program (MAP) will receive a grant of up to $21,000. The Allied Drive and Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association will receive a grant of up to $6,800. “The job of revitalizing the Allied Drive neighborhood must be a cooperative effort between the city, neighborhood organizations and residents,” said Cieslewicz. “By supporting programs like MAP and the neighborhood association, my goal is to give the Allied Drive neighborhood the tools it needs to succeed.” MAP is a highly-successful program that provides educational, mentoring and training services to individuals such as high school dropouts. The program provides these individuals with necessary skills and then helps connect them with long-term employment opportunities. “I would like to thank Mayor Cieslewicz for his ongoing support and encouragement that allows us to continue providing MAP training,” said Diana Shinall, Executive Director of MAP. “The Mayor was able to see the need to try something different that would yield positive results. MAP is truly a non-traditional training that is producing results. These results were seen very clearly as members of the first graduating class have become beacons of light in their community.” The Allied Drive and Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association was formed to help local residents have a greater say in neighborhood revitalization efforts. Because this neighborhood has a very high proportion of transient residents, the association plays a vital role in advocating for the interests of the neighborhood. “I appreciate the work of Mayor Dave and his financial support of our efforts to be more visible and effective in bringing the Allied Community together,” said Alice Howard, President of the Allied-Dunn’s Marsh Neighborhood Association. These grants represent a continued investment by Cieslewicz in these key programs. Last year, MAP received a $11,000 city grant; the Neighborhood Association received a grant of $9,000. The grants are subject to final approval by the Common Council.