CHIPS Act to help Allentown residents with child care, transportation to boost jobs

Allentown was one of six finalists to receive funding from the CHIPS and Science Act’s Recompete program. That funding will help address employment barriers, transportation challenges and childcare costs.  

Last week marked the two year anniversary of the CHIPS and Science Act getting signed into law by President Joe Biden, and areas like the Lehigh Valley continue to see investments from the law. 

The Biden-Harris administration announced that Allentown was one of six finalists from across the country to receive funding from the Recompete program, which was created by the CHIPS Act. 

The US Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced $184 million in funding for six Recompete grant finalists with Allentown receiving $20 million. 

“Two years after working hard to pass the CHIPS and Science Act, we’re seeing the impacts right here in the Greater Lehigh Valley,” Congresswoman Susan Wild said in a statement.

“[Last week], I announced historic funding that we brought home through a CHIPS Act grant, which will allow Allentown to bolster its economy and lower its unemployment rates. This is just the beginning – by investing in American workers and their products, the CHIPS Act will continue to create economic opportunity and good-paying jobs for our workers.”

The Allentown grant plans  to invest in economically distressed areas where the prime employment age, 25 to 54 years, trails the national average and close the gap with funding.

The funding will help Allentown residents obtain education and skills training, address transportation challenges and make investments in affordable child care in an effort to increase employment opportunities. 

Allentown has worked with labor unions and the business community to help implement the plan and the city plans on using navigators to connect residents to training programs, child care and employment opportunities.  

“The City’s plan is impressive and comprehensive, and I was proud to see it through to completion,” Wild said in a statement.

“Job-seekers across our community will now be able to access strong wages and good workplaces that might otherwise have been out of reach. I’ll continue pushing to bring home additional investments to our city to support the Recompete plan and tackle barriers to employment.”