Modell's was honored for its commitment to supplying jobs to
local Empowerment Zone residents in Harlem. A press
conference discussing the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (which Modell's
currently takes advantage of), training programs funded in part by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, was held on July 6 at Modell's store at 300 West
125th Street.

Attending the conference were : State Labor Commissioner M.
Patricia Smith, Chairman Charles Rangel and Thomas Tilley, SVP, Modell's
Sporting Goods.

In a statement, Tilley said, “Modell’s has deep roots
in New York, and it’s our commitment to not only design the store to the
community, but to also create value to the area by supplying jobs to local
residents, through successful Federal programs such as the Work Opportunity Tax
Credit Program and the Federal Empowerment Zone Program.”

The statement noted that Modell’s has utilized the services
of Walton Management Services, a national tax credit and incentive firm based
in New Jersey, for the past six years in processing the Work Opportunity Tax
Credit Program and Empowerment Zone employment credits for Modell’s.

Currently Modell’s operates 144 stores mainly in New York, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania.
In recent years, Modell’s has begun to expand to Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia,
and the District of Columbia as well as Connecticut, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.