Westminster Rescue Mission Receives Grant to Support Workforce Development Efforts

The Westminster Rescue Mission is pleased to announce it has been awarded $30,000 from the Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation to enhance the workforce development program at its Addiction Healing Center (AHC).

“Integrating employment support as an aspect of substance use treatment helps individuals achieve stable employment, long-term recovery, and self-sufficiency,” said Stephanie Halley, CEO of the Westminster Rescue Mission. “As a first-time Knott Foundation grantee, we’re grateful to partner with an organization whose deep compassion for people in crisis mirrors our own. This grant will allow us to strengthen and expand the Addiction Healing Center’s workforce development program, ensuring that every person we serve has the skills, support, and opportunities they need to rebuild their lives with dignity and purpose.”

The AHC’s workforce development program helps patients build the skills and confidence needed to return to the workforce. Services include resume building and interview preparation; career exploration and job readiness training; GED preparation and certification programs (i.e. CDL, forklift, ServSafe, peer recovery); and connections to local employers and workforce partners.

The grant will support the cross-training of staff to deliver employment services, resulting in increased dedicated staff time for workforce development. In addition, the funds will support operational improvements that standardize program systems and documentation, strengthen data tracking, and enhance long-term follow-up with participants.

“The AHC already demonstrates strong results, with 95% of employment-eligible patients securing jobs prior to completing treatment over the past two years,” Halley said. “Support from the Knott Foundation will ensure every eligible patient receives the individualized guidance needed to successfully transition from treatment into employment and independent living.”

About the Westminster Rescue Mission
Founded in 1968, the Westminster Rescue Mission is a community that provides clinical, physical, and spiritual resources to heal the addicted and feed the hungry. We take a holistic approach with Christ as the foundation of our work. Our two service areas include the Addiction Healing Center and the Mission Food Program.

About the Knott Foundation: The Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation is a Catholic family foundation committed to honoring our founders’ legacy of generosity to strengthen our community. Henry and Marion Knott were incredibly dedicated to two things: their family and their surrounding community of Baltimore. In 1977, they started the Foundation as a way of joining their two passions. Today, the Knott Foundation continues as a family-run philanthropic venture that strives to strengthen communities in central and western Maryland while preserving the Knott legacy of giving. For more information, visit https://knottfoundation.org/.

Media inquiries:

Trish St Michel
Community Engagement Manager

tstmichel@WestminsterRescueMission.org

410-848-2222 x 135