Hampton, VA – VersAbility Resources is honored to announce their selection as a 2021 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders awardee. This grant provides a unique combination of leadership development and $200,000 in funding for VersAbility to launch their new Future of Work (FOW) program.

FOW is a new VersAbility initiative designed to train people with disabilities to fill the critical jobs our economy needs to thrive. People with disabilities represent the greatest untapped talent pool in the country. In 2020, only 17.9% of people with disabilities in the United States were employed (U.S. BLS, 2021). A focus on young people transitioning to work will be coupled with retraining the long-term unemployed, helping people of all abilities become proud, productive citizens.

“VersAbility is bridging important gaps for individuals with disabilities to help them chart a path toward economic opportunity and stability,” said Frank Castellanos, President of Bank of America Hampton Roads. “Bank of America has had a long-standing commitment to supporting people with disabilities. Our Neighborhood Builders program helps organizations, such as VersAbility, grow sustainably and strategically for a greater positive impact in the community.”

As a Neighborhood Builder, VersAbility will receive a $200,000 grant over two years and comprehensive leadership training for the executive director and an emerging leader on topics ranging from increasing financial sustainability, human capital management and strategic storytelling. This Bank of America program continues to be the nation’s largest investment into nonprofit leadership development.

With this grant, FOW will develop effective new approaches that capitalize on community need and resources, transforming work and life prospects for people with disabilities by breaking down barriers to successful, long-term employment. Participants in VersAbility’s FOW program will train alongside professionals in high-demand fields, while VersAbility Job Coaches provide support services so that people with disabilities successfully complete certification programs. Services include pre-enrollment prep, tailoring instruction methods to suit different learning styles, assistive technology, transportation training, exam prep, job placement, and more.

“We are so grateful to Bank of America for this critical seed funding to expand careers that create economic independence for people with disabilities across the 757,” says Kasia Grzelkowski, President and CEO of VersAbility Resources.

VersAbility plans to focus on three certification tracks that suit all abilities including: welding, medical billing/coding, and cybersecurity. Current partners include New Horizons, Hampton Roads Workforce Council, Hampton and Newport News Schools, DARS, ODU, VPCC, TCC, and the Community College Workforce Cooperative. VersAbility will work closely with partners to ensure effective training that leads to careers and economic independence for people with disabilities. Pilot certification programs are currently set to begin in the spring of 2022.

About VersAbility Resources

VersAbility Resources is a comprehensive provider serving over 1500 people with disabilities annually in early childhood, day, student, and residential services, and four diverse employment programs. Serving the entire Hampton Roads region, VersAbility provides manufacturing and logistics services and is a major federal contractor with five nationwide contracts for the Navy and Air Force. Learn more at www.versability.org.

About Bank of America

At Bank of America, we’re guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better, through the power of every connection. We’re delivering on this through responsible growth with a focus on our environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership. ESG is embedded across our eight lines of business and reflects how we help fuel the global economy, build trust and credibility, and represent a company that people want to work for, invest in and do business with. It’s demonstrated in the inclusive and supportive workplace we create for our employees, the responsible products and services we offer our clients, and the impact we make around the world in helping local economies thrive. An important part of this work is forming strong partnerships with nonprofits and advocacy groups, such as community, consumer and environmental organizations, to bring together our collective networks and expertise to achieve greater impact. Learn more at about.bankofamerica.com, and connect with us on Twitter (@BofA_News).