Hire253

• Kelly Blucher, Outreach Manager, KellyB@goodwillwa.org
• Fliers are out – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hire253-entry-level-job-fair-tickets-57234995412?aff=erelexpmlt
• April 3^rd, 2019  - Going bigger and better
  • We are focusing on veterans, folks with disabilities, youth, and more (I don’t think you can actually focus on lots of groups at once – that isn’t how focus works - and yet I’m pretty sure you all will do just that and somehow be amazingly successful at it all. –ed)
• Brainchild of Sherri Jensen – help individuals find work.
• Started small with about 20 employers, and about 100 people came looking for work. 
• We wanted to do bigger and better.  Moved to the goodwill main  location at  27^th and Yakima - and we use the whole building. 
• We will have 70 employers – this will be our 3^rd round at goodwill.
• Had 650 people attend last time – 204 walked away with employment. 
• There is this amazing committee that meets every week.  We look at our data and try to figure out what we can do better. (yay data –ed.)
• We are choosy, only bringing in employers in that can interview and hire on site. 
• The event costs about $10k, but with the help of donations and other organizational support, the actual cost is nearly zero. 
• Served lunch to 750 people – turkey dinner last time – will serve more this time around.
• If you want to get involved – join the workforce development workgroup.  We are super open to how we can make this event even more successful
• We know that minimum wage isn’t the way to go for everyone, but it is good for some folks.
• 253Works Job Club – We help individuals prep for the hiring event. 
• Can also get on Kelly’s amazing newsletter – just e-mail her.  Also, send Kelly your flyers to be included in the newsletter - KellyB@goodwillwa.org
• Question – what if an individual doesn’t have a mailing address, can they still benefit from the employment fair.  Kelly – several organization will provide a mailing address.  TRM and nativity House and Salvation Army all will provide mail services for folks experiencing homelessness.
• Question – not just for youth?  Kelly – they must be over 16, but this is for everyone. 
• Question – what about transportation?  Kelly – provided 200 bus tickets for folks to get to and from work – this option is available again.  For transportation to the job fair – connect with Sheila – had three shuttles between local shelters, foodbanks and other locations.  We also gave folks bus passes to get to and from the fair.
• If they need ID, Associated Ministries has a resource center for folks experiencing homeless.  You can get ID and SSN and more at the document recovery center (more info at https://associatedministries.org/supportive-services/crcc/ )
• Kelly – Gerrit, do you have the list of barriers to housing that participants identified?  Gerrit – yep, below are the main barriers identified, and how many of the survey respondents choose it:
  • Unemployment – 284
  • Lack of college or technical education - 91
  • Homelessness – 73
  • Single Parent – 71
  • Criminal Background – 66
  • Older worker – 62
  • Underemployment/working poor – 58
  • Welfare Recipient – 41
  • Lack of GED or HS diploma – 36
  • Dislocated Worker – 33
  • History of substance abuse – 32
  • Other outstanding condition – 24
  • LGBT – 12
  • (I put the rest, as well as responses to a bunch of the other questions from the survey up at https://coalitionfiles.blob.core.windows.net/files/Hire253.pdf -ed.)
• Dan – often the mentality of not wanting to do anything – when folks are down and out, it is hard to just get up – it is easy to get stuck in a rut.  Kelly – Valeo Vocation is formed around the folks with high barriers.  We may not be successful with the first touch or the second or the fifth or the tenth.  We just keep working with folks, the more we build up  their confidence and the more we can be a friendly person to talk to the easier  it is for our clients. 
• Theresa Power-Drutis – motivation can be difficult when issues are stacked against you.  There is a lot of society that paints people in poverty with the brush of a lack of motivation, which can be damaging.  In this coalition, we recognize the challenges homelessness presents and provide support for folks experiencing it (I didn’t quite catch this exactly, but this is what I remember as the gist of Theresa’s words – she did a much better job than I’ve captured. –ed. ). 
• James – if you  have someone work ready with some of our barriers, we have lots of folks that we work with.  But the challenges of homelessness are real.  It is often very unsafe for folks to leave their property behind – you can’t lock the door behind you when there is no door.  We’ll pack up folks belonging (as much as we can) and drive people to a community lunch or other events.  It is a lot more than just going to get your ID. 
• Mitch – my morning.  This morning on Tacoma and 13^th. I met one of our clients at 6:30am from the Beacon Center, got some boots for them, they took a shower, had some oatmeal – those small things add so much to the whole picture – everyone pitching in those small pieces adds up.