Program to put Buffalonians to work

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Buffalo was recently ranked as the third worst city when it comes to finding a job. And new unemployment numbers show a lot of people are still searching.

For nearly two years, Cheryl Dial has been searching for work in the Queen City.

"I would have been willing to do anything," she said.

Dial says she's out looking for a job, handing our resumes and submitting applications - even if it means washing dishes. News 4 met Dial at a job fair back in November 2011. Since then, she says her phone hasn't rang once.

"I don't want to be filed away," Dial said. "I want to be accepted and have a job tomorrow if I could."

Now Mayor Byron Brown has launched a new jobs initiative called "Hire Buffalo."

"Hire Buffalo is a means to help city residents and others find meaningful sustainable employment," Mayor Brown said.,

He says it's another way for the jobless to find employment. The unemployment rate in the city sits just under 8 percent. This time last year the unemployment rate was at 9.1 percent, down from January 2010's spike of nearly 10 percent.

Mayor Brown said, "We feel this is a great time to implement this program to match employers who are looking for employees with people who are looking for work."

The mayor says Buffalo is in a state of economic recovery. He believes that by this time next year, this program could put 22,000 people to work - that's if each business in Buffalo hired just one person.

Under the program, businesses partner with the City of Buffalo, linking job seekers  to open jobs. 

Mayor Brown points to more than a billion dollars in recent economic development as proof new jobs are coming.  Included in the Mayor's example was the growing medical campus and the Webster Block, where thousands of jobs could be created.

Dial is hopeful this new program will help her find the job she's been looking for.

Hire Buffalo is based on a jobs initiative in Atlanta, where 13,000 people were hired in six months. Want to learn more? Follow this link.

Employers looking to sign up for the program can click here .