Faith-Based Community Supports Recruitment for Westside-Chicago AJC Hiring Event
On Sunday, September 8, 2019, Ron Hearns, KRA Director of Midwest Workforce Operations, and Nichole Morrison, KRA Business Service Consultant, each visited a church on Chicago’s Westside as part of a collaborative workforce-services effort between the Westside Ministerial Alliance (WMA), led by Pastor Vance Henry, the Mayor’s Chief of Faith-Based Initiatives, and 15 local workforce-development network agencies.
On behalf of The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (CCWP), funding-partner for the KRA Westside American Job Center (AJC), Ray Bentley, Chief Community Officer, shared the idea of targeting the 5th annual Hospitality Hires Chicago (HHC) Hiring Event as a viable approach to bringing employment opportunities to faith-based community members.
Subsequently, the WMA invited Hearns to attended service at the Heritage International Christian Church, where he presented to approximately 80 members. He shared that the environment was welcoming both in spirit and in receiving information about HHC. Hearns stated, “I look forward to attending another service and sharing upcoming events.”
Morrison attended service at the Greater Rock Missionary Baptist Church, and she shared similar feedback on her visit with approximately 30 church members. Morrison stated she “felt special and was inspired by the great excitement over the HHC Event.”
Hearns and Morrison agree that conversing with church members interested in attending HHC was extremely helpful and informative, as many people shared personal stories on their need to obtain employment, and the barriers that have become overwhelming on their pathway to career success.
They also agreed that many had transferrable job-skills, making them excellent candidates for jobs openings with HHC hiring-personnel. KRA Westside AJC hosted a pre-screening event on September 12, 2019. Of the 23 participants who attended, 17 received invitations to attend the HHC that was convened on September 25, 2019, with others referred to the most appropriate workforce-development agency in the network for job-readiness training and development.
Stay tuned for the spectacular HHC results!
Dr. Boone’s 20+ years’ experience in the industry is extensive and her expertise in private-, public-, and non-profit sector workforce-services organizations is unparalleled, particularly in the Baltimore–Washington Metropolitan area.
