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TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation recently won a $500,000 grant to provide educational assistance to Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation residents living in six northeastern Oklahoma counties.

The grant will fund the Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) program, and will be administered by the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation.

"The Cherokee Nation received $500,000 of $1.2 million available nationwide for Indian nations involved in this program", said Principal Chief Chad Smith.

"The ROSS Program has been designed with the needs of the HACN resident population in mind, focusing on underserved or hard to serve persons, and those that need training in an effort to promote business development and employment", said Ron Qualls, HACN Executive Director.

Cherokee, Adair, Mayes, Delaware, Rogers, and Sequoyah counties are the six counties targeted by the ROSS Grant.

The ROSS Grant Program will focus its efforts to address the following needs: 1) Residents who have not compiled with the Welfare to Work training and/or job search requirements, 2) Residents who were previous participants on the TANF program who need to further increase their skills and employability to enable them to earn an income that can support their households, 3) Residents who are designated as Multi-challenged TANF recipients and need extensive case management services, Residents who are high school drop-outs and/or those needing literacy training, 4) Tenants who may have received training, but need career upgrade training to retain employment, advance in employment and increase their income earning potential, 5) Residents needing to obtain work experience, on the job training to enable them to increase their employability and income earning capacity, and 6) Residents and/or resident organizations desiring to obtain training in relation to business development and those desiring to start or expand a business, and enable them to increase their employability and income earning capacity.

According to Qualls, the ROSS grant will allow for assistance in attending Vocational Technology Institutions and Junior Colleges, no four-year educational programs are allowed.

For more information or to request an application for the Spring 2002 semester for ROSS Educational Assistance, please contact Rogan Noble, phone, 918-453-2913 or Karen Harmon, 918-453-2915. Applications may also be picked up at the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation Family Investment Center, located at 206 E. Allen Rd., in Tahlequah.