ERiCA Grants Assist Apprentice Families
Approximately 256 apprentices throughout the State of California were awarded ERiCA (Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship) grants last year. Of those, 44 recipients (over 17%) were from District 1 alone!
JATC co-administrators Ben Rivera and Tim Myres worked diligently with Bay Area’s three training center coordinators, Brad De Young, Pat Pico and Nate Vennaruci, to ensure the program was marketed effectively to prospective grantees.
The men and women who received notification of their awards are now receiving reimbursements up to $10,000 for 12 months through this pilot program. These stipends can be used for childcare receipts or other consumables, such as diapers.
Although construction journeyworkers who are turning out make a solid living wage in the region, it can be a struggle for new apprentice families to make ends meet in the pricey Bay Area.
Rickey Gipson, a second-year apprentice currently working at Therma, is one of the lucky ERiCA grant recipients. He stated that the grant “is a huge help and took a lot of weight off me and my wife’s shoulders” in the care of their young toddler. He affirmed that the process was easy to set up to receive reimbursement for their daycare bill.