SKAGIT COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Uncertainty is looming over a program for underprivileged youth in Skagit County that’s become the victim of more cuts to federal funding.
The U.S. Department of Labor announced last week that it’s beginning a “phased pause” at Job Corps centers around the country.
The department says its decision reflects the Trump administration’s commitment to ensure federal investments in the workforce “deliver meaningful results.”
The Cascade Job Corps program in Sedro-Woolley is among the centers that will shut down.
But King5 reports that it will resume classes next week after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on Thursday, blocking any attempts to dismantle the program for now.
Cascade Job Corps serves around 250 young people between the ages of 16 and 24, offering them free job training and even housing for some.
According to the Sedro-Woolley Chamber of Commerce, 30% of the students are homeless and another 30% don’t have a safe environment to go into.
The case has its next court hearing set for June 17.
