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New project aimed at easing poverty in Montana

The state launched a $1.5 million project Wednesday aimed at teaching low-income families how to dig themselves out of poverty.

The project is part of a continuing effort to reduce the number of Montanans on public assistance programs and make sure they don’t remain in poverty after becoming self-sufficient _ a side effect of welfare reform, said Hank Hudson, administrator of the Human and Community Services Division of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services.

"Our focus here is to increase the assets and incomes of these families," he said.

Officials hope to do that by teaching families about finances, credit options, predatory lending, the benefits of savings accounts or how to open a new business. Training for high-demand jobs and help at becoming a homeowner could also be offered.

By SARAH COOKE

Full Story: http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/05/18/ap-state-mt/d8hloqj80.txt

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BCC & Montana team up to build homes for low-income families.

Blackfeet Community College is entering into an agreement with the Montana Department of Commerce’s housing division, an agreement that will create a training program to build houses for low-income families.

The Department of Commerce will provide all construction materials, and BCC construction technology students and faculty will construct the houses. A similar program, the Montana House Program, is in place at the Anaconda Job Corps, where two-bedroom units were constructed. Blackfeet Community College will build the first three-bedroom units, which will be more suited to the needs of the local community. Local vendors will have an opportunity to bid on the materials for these houses, and the electrical and plumbing work will be bid out to local contractors.

Full Story: http://www.goldentrianglenews.com/articles/2006/05/18/glacier_reporter/news/news5.txt

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