CFG Bank (CFGB) today announced the launch ofthe newly-formed Jack and Nancy Dwyer Workforce Development Program, a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is tohelp resolve the effects of systemic poverty and inequality and help resolve the turnover crisisand burnout due to staffing shortages in the healthcare industry by creating a pathway to advance career opportunities in the nursing profession. CFGB donated $1 million to jumpstart the program.As part of this initiative, CFGB also announced a partnership with and $1 million donation to Living Classrooms, a non-profit serving Baltimore and Washington DC,whose mission is to create safer, stronger and healthier communities for children, youth and adults. The donation to Living Classrooms will be used in the renovation and new construction of the Living Classrooms Bauer Building located adjacent to the Foundation’s headquarters on Baltimore’s Harbor that will house the training for healthcare workers; completion is slated for July 2021.

The Jack and Nancy Dwyer Workforce Development Program’s purpose is to provide Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)and Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA)training and entry-level job positions to unemployed and underemployed individuals who aspire to pursue a career in the healthcare industry. The Program will support job placement and retention ofstudents at healthcare facilities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, and provide proper training,while identifying goals to achieve over several years. After achieving those goals, students will be awarded a scholarship to attend nursing school to achieve the ultimate goal of a Registered Nurse (RN) license.

The $1 million donation to the Jack and Nancy Dwyer Workforce Development Program will be used toward underwriting the initial CNA and GNA program curriculums, startup expenses and staff hires, as well as future programming and scholarships.

“We are always looking for new ways to take action to improve the lives of those in our community, and with our strong presence in the healthcare market, we see the high turnover of nursing professionals as well as the challenges they face in advancing their career. Partnering with Living Classrooms will support our curriculums so students can pave a new career path and help a struggling industry,” said Jack Dwyer, owner and chairman of the board of CFG Bank. “Organizations like Living Classrooms and the Jack and Nancy Dwyer Workforce Development Program depend on their communities, and we are committed to giving back by creating this unique program that will inspire our healthcare workers to reach their goals and help resolve the effects of systemic poverty and inequality.”

The Living Classrooms Bauer Building is an innovative workforce development hub that aims to build a bridge between unemployed and underemployed Baltimore residents and the region’s fastest growing careers. By partnering with employers and business leaders in the healthcare, manufacturing and shipping industries, Living Classrooms is developing hands-on training programs that also aim to remove barriers to rewarding careers.

The Bauer Building will house the CFG Bank Classroom and the Jack and Nancy Dwyer Classroom, which will be used for training programsthat will establish a pathway to entry-level healthcare careers, such as CNAs and GNAs, facilitated through partnerships with area hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities. The new network of trainings will build on Living Classrooms’ three decades of workforce development programming in Baltimore and utilize a strong case management support system for each trainee.

This partnership between Living Classrooms and the Jack and Nancy Dwyer Workforce Development Program is the first initiative in furthering the program and curriculum.

James Bond, president and CEO of the Living Classrooms Foundation said, “We are grateful to partner with CFG Bank and the Dwyer Family on this exciting new initiative, that will provide new opportunities for individuals to begin working in the healthcare industry with a clear pathway to career advancement. Through this new Living Classrooms facility and partnership, we look forward to supporting the success and economic mobility of each participant with our strong career coaching and case management system built through decades of workforce development experience."

CFG Bank encourages other businesses to do what they can to support their communities, especially in these trying times.

CFG Bank provides commercial, personal, and online banking solutions to the Mid-Atlantic business community and national healthcare market. Locally owned and operated, the bank dates back to 1927 when La Corona Building and Loan Association, Inc., was formed to meet the financial needs of Highlandtown and East Baltimore residents. Though the name has changed since 1927, CFG Bank prides itself on delivering big-bank capabilities and expertise with relationship-driven community bank service. The bank is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, with branches in Lutherville/Towson and Baltimore City.

Living Classrooms Foundation is a Baltimore-Washington, DC-based nonprofit that strengthens communities and inspires people to achieve their potential through hands-on education and job training, using urban, natural, and maritime resources as "living classrooms." We strive to disrupt poverty by addressing deeply ingrained challenges that affect equitable access to education, environmental sustainability, living-wage jobs, and health/safety resources. Through a community-driven collaborative strategy, Living Classrooms develops and implements evidence-based programs in three core areas—Education, Workforce Development, and Health/Wellness & Violence Prevention—that help individuals overcome barriers to success in life, school, and the workplace.In addition to the gift from CFG Bank, Living Classrooms has received $1.5 million from the Charles T. Bauer Foundation; and the Governor of the State of Maryland has allocated $500,000 towards this project.