CMJTS Will Use Funds to Train and Dedicate Staff to the “SOAR” Effort

MONTICELLO, MN — November 25, 2019 — Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services, Inc. (CMJTS), the nonprofit employment and training partner of the local CareerForce System, has received a competitive grant from the Otto Bremer Trust (OBT). This $45,000 start-up grant will give CMJTS the ability to prepare and dedicate staff to the SOAR effort. SOAR, which stands for SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery services, is a program created to assist and advocate for significantly-disabled individuals as they apply for social security benefits to meet their basic needs.

Adding capacity for SOAR will make CMJTS’ services to people with significant disabilities far more comprehensive. These individuals will receive the assistance they need to successfully navigate the SSI/SSDI benefit application process. Once approved for benefits, CMTJS expects that many applicants will be removed from public assistance roles, easing financial strain on their home counties. Others will be able to use their new SSI/SSDI benefits to move from homelessness to safe and secure living environments. They will have a better foundation for success as they train for new vocations in which their disability does not pose an insurmountable barrier to success.

To learn more about SOAR, or CMJTS’ other employment and training, interested parties can contact the agency at (800) 284-7425.

About the Otto Bremer Trust

The Otto Bremer Trust, based in St. Paul, Minn., is a private charitable trust established in 1944 by founder Otto Bremer, a successful banker and community business leader. OBT owns 92 percent of Bremer Bank and also manages a diversified investment portfolio. The mission of OBT is to invest in people, places and opportunities in the Upper Midwest. Since its inception, OBT has invested more than $600 million in organizations throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and western Wisconsin. Visit ottobremer.org.