Little Rock, Arkansas: The city of Arkansas is paying $9.25 per hour, which is more than the minimum wage, to pick up trash from the streets of Little Rock.
The pay comes under the Bridge to Work program that was launched by the city of Arkansas in April.
It pays $9.25 per hour to homeless people who pick up trash.
The main objective behind the Bridge to Work program is to help homeless people get their lives back on track.
At first, the local government announced that this will be a 6-month trial. But now, Mayor Frank Scott Jr. announced that he wants to extend the program through September 2020.
So far, the city of Arkansas has spent over $80,000 on the program.
Managed by the Canvas Community Church, Pastor Paul Atkins said, “We’re super excited about what has gone on, and we hope to be able to keep the momentum going.”
The participants of the program also get free physical health treatment, mental health treatment, job interviews, and a house to live in.
The 380 people have signed up in the program.
Participants have spent over 1800 hours in the program and have collected 2056 bags of trash.
A lot of poor people have signed up through the church and are encouraging other homeless people to join the program.
Felicia Cooks, a leader, said she was so happy when Mayor Scott announced that he wants to renew the program until next year.
During her interview with 12 News, Felicia said, “I just knew. I never had a doubt. I never had a doubt because I knew our potential and I knew that we would get to this point. And so, it made me just want to just cry out with tears of joy.”