Friendship Churches to Offer
Employment and Consumer Resources Support
Supports for obtaining
employment and money-saving consumer resources will be offered by a group of
Friendship churches, starting next week.
The What God is Doing in
Friendship ny alliance of churches will be hosting educational support groups
for those who are unemployed and underemployed and those seeking ways to
increase their financial resources, to be held at the Mission House community outreach
center at 28-32 East Main Street, the site of the former St. Andrew's Episcopal
church, offices and rectory.
The employment group
will meet from 8:30AM to 9:30AM Mondays, starting April 28, with consumer
resources participants gathering from 6:30PM to 7:30PM the following evening,
Tuesday, April 29.
A free continental
breakfast will be provided for the morning sessions and refreshments in the
evening.
Pre-registration is
required for first-time attendees at WhatGodisDoing@outlook.com or (585)
664-9989, by providing one's name, community of residence, email address and
telephone number, including area code, along with the name of the support group
in the Subject line of an email.
Individuals who wish to
assist those involved in the groups also are welcome.
The sessions will be
facilitated by Casey Jones, executive director, and Anita Baird of Allegany
Hope, an Allegany County Christian nonprofit organization.
Jones is the developer
of the 12 Steps Toward EmploymentTM curriculum for PA
CareerLink - Chester County, a facilitator for previous employment support
groups involving many backgrounds of unemployed and underemployed, and a
longtime identifier of financial management resources for individuals,
businesses, local governments and nonprofit organizations.
Baird, who is fluent in
Spainish, is a retired inner city principal of a 1,200-student elementary
school, having assisted individuals and families with identifying needed
resources.
The director said the purpose of the
employment group is to help equip job seekers with developing a process which
can lead them toward productive and rewarding employment.
He noted that data
indicates as few as 20 percent of positions are obtained through simply
submitting resumes to potential employers, although a powerful one can be
helpful in obtaining an interview and employment.
At the same time, he said, the most recent annual report from The Conference Board indicates that more than one-third of workers aren't satisfied with their current employment.
On the consumer
information front, Jones reported that attendees of this support group not only
will receive specific information on how to save money when making purchases,
but will be in a forum in which they can exchange helpful information.
This is important, he
noted, not only for low income families but for all who struggle with balacing
income and expenses and are trying to achieve savings at the end of a pay
period, month or year.
The alliance of churches
is seeking to develop various types of assistance to help meet the needs of
area individuals and families.
It currently is
gathering information about food sustainability, nutrition and eldercare issues
as it seeks to work together for greater community benefit.
Information on ongoing
efforts are available at https://tinyurl.com/God-in-Friendship-FB, or by contacting the alliance at WhatGodisDoing@outlook.com or
(585) 664-9989
