Modell's Sporting Goods was honored for its commitment to supplying jobs to local Empowerment Zone residents in Harlem. At a press conference held on July 6 at Modell's store at 300 West 125th Street, NYC officials also discussed Modell's use of the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit, a training programs funded in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Attending the conference were State Labor Commissioner M. Patricia Smith, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Charles Rangel and Thomas Tilley, SVP, Modell's.
In a statement, Tilley said, “Modells has deep roots in New York, and its 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 Modells 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 Modells. Currently Modells operates 144 stores, mainly in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
