Finding Employment is Better Together

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ESTIMATES THAT OVER 520,000 FLORIDIANS ARE JOBLESS. THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TICKED UP A BIT FROM 4.6% IN FEBRUARY TO 4.7% IN MARCH TO HELP PEOPLE FIND JOBS, NONPROFIT GROUPS LIKE BETTER TOGETHER ARE ORGANIZING SPECIAL EVENTS THAT DIRECTLY CONNECT JOB SEEKERS WITH EMPLOYERS WGCUS AMANDA INSCORE WHITTAMORE REPORTS >> WE PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY CHURCHES TO HOST JOB FAIRS. TO HELP EMPOWER THESE PARENTS. BRING THEM HOPE AND DIGNITY AND GET THEM BACK TO WORK. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE CAN GET THEM BACK TO WORK, WE CAN TRY TO HELP RE STABILIZE THAT FAMILY UNIT. >> VANESSA STRATA IS THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BETTER TOGETHER'S SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGION. BETTER TOGETHER HOSTS SECOND CHANCE JOB FAIRS CONNECTING JOB SEEKERS FACING EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS SUCH AS PAST INCARCERATION. HOMELESSNESS ARE GAPS AND WORK. HISTORY WITH EMPLOYERS WILLING TO HIRE NATIONWIDE. GIVE SECOND CHANCES. THESE EMPLOYERS ARE SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYERS. >> SO THAT WE HAVE THESE ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH JUST GIVES MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE JOB SEEKERS THAT ARE COMING IN FACING. YOU KNOW, INCARCERATION PAST. ITS FAITH IN ACTION. >> DEMETRIUS THOMAS IS THE PASTOR OF SAINT MARY'S BAPTIST CHURCH IN GORDA THAT HOSTED THE JOB. THEY'RE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FIND OUT. >> THAT WE COME IN HERE AND WE WORSHIP IN ALL OF THAT WITH THE THAT CRISIS. HE WAS OUT HELPING PEOPLE AND COMPELLING PEOPLE TO COME INTO PLAY. SO AGAIN, THIS WHAT IT IS, IS THAT BE OUT THERE AND HELP PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND MEET THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE THE BEST THAT WE CAN >> LAFAYETTE WHEATON CAME TO THE JOB FAIR WITH HIS YOUNG SON. HE RECENTLY MOVED TO FLORIDA AND HOPES TO NOT JUST FIND A JOB BUT DISCOVERED HIS PASSION. >> I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND SOME DOZEN RELIGIOUS BENEFIT. JUST ROLE. MAKE ME HAPPY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY TO FIND A JOB, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIND MY PATIENTS. SO I MEAN, I'M HERE A SIGN WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT THE >> ANGEL BIGS RECEIVED MUCH NEEDED ASSISTANCE FROM BETTER TOGETHER AND IS LOOKING FOR WORK THAT WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT WITHOUT BETTER TOGETHER WITHOUT MISS AMANDA. SO THIS IS GREAT CAUSE. >> AND I SAY I DIDN'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO FAR ENOUGH ON CLIMATE. >> THIS IS GREAT. IT'S GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY. WAYS HELPS OUT. EVERYBODY. ANGEL SON, DARIAN SNOWDEN. >> HOPES TO LEARN AND PURSUE A CAREER AS AN ELECTRICIAN. >> ALWAYS AIM FOR A JOB. THIS AND MORE CONSISTENT WITH SOME THAT OUTLOOK TO DORSUM THAT I CAN FIND A LIKE A GOOD LIKE I SAID, A GOOD PATTERN IN DOING. LIKE A GOOD GROOVE ARE GETTING A GROUP IS OVER. IT. >> PASTOR THOMAS SAYS THIS EVENT IS ALL ABOUT HELPING TO SUSTAIN FAMILIES. >> AND IT'S ONE THING TO ACTUALLY HAVE PANTRIES WAY PEOPLE COME IN AND GET FOOD AND ALL THAT. BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO ACTUALLY PRESENT THEM A JOB WHERE THEY CAN AS THEY FEED THEIR FAMILY. BUT A LIFETIME, YOU KNOW, SO AGAIN IS ONE THING TO DO A HANDOUT. BUT AS ANOTHER, TO GIVE A HAND UP FOR WGCU NEWS. I'M AMANDA INSCORE WHITTAMORE >> FOR MORE ON THE IMPACT BETTER TOGETHER IS HAVING ON THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COMMUNITY. WE ARE JOINED BY MEGAN BROS. SHE IS THE CEO OF BETTER TOGETHER AND HAS BEEN SINCE 2015. THIS ROSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. CAN YOU TELL WHAT IS THE MISSION OF YOUR AGENCY? >> SO THE MISSION OF BETTER TOGETHER IS HELPING FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME WITH THE GOAL OF KEEPING THEIR KIDS OUT OF FOSTER CARE, HELPING FAMILIES FIND WORK AND ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF THEIR STRUGGLE SO THEY CAN BE. REUNITED WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND KEEP THEIR FAMILIES STRONG AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A REALLY POSITIVE SUPPORT SYSTEM SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE. I READ THAT YOUR AGENCY HAS SERVED MORE THAN 10,000 CHILDREN. >> IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN WHAT WAYS ARE YOU HELPING THOSE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES? AND IT'S ALL ACROSS THE SUNSHINE STATE. >> YEAH. SO WE'RE NOW SERVING THE ENTIRE STATE EXCEPT PARTS OF THE END-ALL AND MIAMI. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE HAVE VOLUNTEER FAMILIES THAT ARE OPENING UP THEIR HOME AND CARING FOR KIDS SHORT TERM. AND THEN WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS, MENTORING FAMILIES AND THEN VOLUNTEERS AND JOB COACHING. AND THEN WE'RE WORKING WITH CHURCHES TO HOST JOB FAIRS. AND SO THE GOAL IS JUST TO MOBILIZE LOCAL CHURCHES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND VOLUNTEERS TO BE ABLE TO COME ALONGSIDE FAMILIES THAT ARE ISOLATED AND GOING THROUGH A HARD TIME AND HELPING KEEP THAT FAMILY TOGETHER. HOW MANY PEOPLE? >> AND HOW DOES BETTER TOGETHER HELP THOSE PEOPLE IN SECOND CHANCE LIFE SITUATIONS, THE ADULTS IN ADDITION TO THE CHILDREN. >> SO WE ALL NEED SECOND CHANCES AND IT CAN BE INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. IF THEY HAVE NO CHILD CARE, IF THEY HAVE HAD GAPS IN THERE RESUME, IF THEY HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD, IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET IN FRONT OF A HIRING MANAGER BUT WORK. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. WORKS WORK HELPS PEOPLE MOVE FORWARD. WORK HELPS KEEP THE FAMILY INTACT. AND BEYOND THAT, FAMILY FAMILIES THAT ARE WORKING ARE LESS LIKELY TO STRUGGLE WITH ALCOHOL ADDICTION, DRUGS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THERE'S SO MANY STATISTICS THAT SHOW THAT WORK HELPS KEEP FAMILIES STRONG. AND SO WE REALLY CREATE A PATHWAY FOR FAMILIES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A SECOND CHANCE THAT ARE LOOKING TO MOVE FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH HIRING MANAGERS. GOOD JOB COACHING FROM LOCAL VOLUNTEERS AND BE ABLE TO PUT THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD. >> HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS AGENCY TO MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COMMUNITY? >> I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SO IMPORTANT. WE'RE FILLING IN A GAP WHERE THERE'S SUCH A NEED FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE PRECIOUS PIECES OF THEIR LIVES BACK TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ALL OF US. I'M A MOM. I HAVE 5 KIDS AND PARENTING IS REALLY HARD. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL NOT IMMUNE TO CRISIS. WE COULD HAVE A HEART ATTACK, A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. WE COULD LOSE OUR JOB, BUT IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH THOSE CRISIS SEASONS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE HELPING FAMILIES THAT DON'T HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM, NAVIGATOR, CRISIS AND COME OUT STRONGER. >> I LOVE YOU HAVE BEEN AT THE HELM SINCE I THINK IT SAID 2015 AND THE AGENCY HAS GROWN AND IT'S ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND BEYOND OUR STATE BORDERS. HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT? >> YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY HELPERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP. AND SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS TAP INTO THAT. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAP INTO THE HELPERS AND WE KNOW THERE'S A NEED. FAMILIES ARE ISOLATED BEFORE COVID AND THEN COVID COMPOUNDED THAT. AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY COME ALONGSIDE THOSE ISOLATED FAMILIES AND FIND THE HELPERS, THE MATCH THEM WITH AN IT'S NOT AMAZING. THE CHURCH IS THE VOLUNTEERS, THE EMPLOYERS, THE DONORS, AND EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO RALLY AROUND OUR MISSION AND HELP US GROW AND EXPAND TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THOUSANDS OF KIDS OUT OF FOSTER CARE AND HELP THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FIND MEANINGFUL WORK, RELATIONSHIPS AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT. IT. AND WE'VE HAD SO MUCH GROWTH, BUT THEY'RE STILL A HUGE NEED AND SO MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITY. AND SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP DOING THIS WORK UNTIL WE'RE NOT NEEDED ANYMORE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY AND SHARING THIS. >> INCREDIBLE STORY ABOUT YOUR YOUR AGENCY AND YOUR PERSONAL MISSION. THANK YOU. MISS ROSE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.