The Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness joins with its partners across the region to celebrate the impact of Secure Jobs Connect, a workforce development initiative for homeless families. Please see the media advisory below for details and please contact Pamela Schwartz with questions and if you plan to attend. All are welcome.
WHAT: A celebration of Secure Jobs Connect, a jobs program for homeless families in Western Massachusetts, launched in February, 2013, with funding from the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation in collaboration with HAPHousing. This pilot project, in partnership with other regional efforts, has created job opportunities and greater stability for nearly 150 parents of homeless families in Western Massachusetts. This event will acknowledge the success for families and will honor leading business partners that have made employment possible.
WHEN: Friday, January 10
10 am – 11 am
The Kittredge Center
Holyoke Community College
WHO: In addition to hearing from newly employed parents, the program will formally recognize the partnership of a dozen businesses across the four counties with acknowledgment from approximately 15 state legislators, 5 mayors, and state officials, including: Senator Stan Rosenberg, Senator Ben Downing, Senator Don Humason, Office of Senator Gale Candaras, Representative Brian Ashe, Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Representative Peter Kocot, Representative Stephen Kulik, Representative Paul Mark, Representative John Scibak, Representative Ellen Story, Representative Ben Swan, Representative Aaron Vega, Office of Representative Joseph Wagner, Office of Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, Westfield Mayor Dan Knapik, Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz, Office of Pittsfield Mayor Don Bianchi, Office of Springfield Mayor Dominic Sarno, MA Department of Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Aaron Gornstein, MA Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness Director Liz Rogers, community college presidents and staff from each Western county, workforce development representatives, foundations, including the Fireman Foundation as the lead project funder, and dozens of housing, child care, health care and other providers working together to end family homelessness in Western Massachusetts. Herbierto Flores, executive director of Corporation for Public Management, the lead agency for Secure Jobs Connect, will also speak.
WHY: As the crisis of family homelessness continues, this initiative offers the promise of long-term solutions through the provision of job skills, training, and stable employment. It reflects the necessity of collaboration across private and public sectors and the success such collaboration can bring.
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