Very few government-funded training programs could boast an 82 percent success rate.

But one in Warren County does.

The Housing Authority of Bowling Green’s Reach Higher program has served more than 520 people since its inception in 1997.

It has helped the majority of those participants, who come from across southcentral Kentucky, learn job and life skills and find permanent employment so they don’t have to receive a government welfare check.

The program first began operating with a shoestring budget of about $80,000 a year and was recently refunded with a two-year grant of $1.2 million from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The welfare-to-work training program finds part-time jobs for participants. They get on-the-job training through employment and then receive life skills training in weekly classes for up to six months. The idea is that by building those skills, folks are less likely to receive welfare payments again.

Other administrators of work training programs visit the authority to find out how they do it, so T.J. Shockley-Hunt, community initiatives director, is used to telling the program’s story.

“I’ve been doing this for 11 years now,” she said.

Shockley-Hunt is passionate about the program, perhaps more so than others could be. Years ago, she found herself in the same position as many of her program participants.

“But someone took an interest in me … and encouraged me to go to Western Kentucky University,” she said.

Now, Shockley-Hunt gladly shares that passion with participants.

Housing Authority Director Abraham Williams leaves the daily activities of the program to Shockley-Hunt, but he, too, clearly cares that participants become successful, productive members of society.

And the success stories are many, both said.

“It’s an awesome program,” said Melissa Milby of the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services. “I think it’s probably been one of our most successful programs. They take a very comprehensive approach to working with individuals.”

We agree with Milby and think it’s money well spent.