Opportunity Junction fights poverty by helping low-income Contra Costa residents gain the competence and confidence to support themselves and their families.
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November 2007 Newsletter Opportunity Junction fights poverty by helping low-income Contra Costa residents gain the competence and confidence to support themselves and their families. |
In this issue... Because of You: Didn't receive the snail mail holiday appeal? It's not too late to make a donation matched by a generous contributor! Meanwhile, big thanks to... More... Save the Dates, Plural: We've got Texas Hold 'Em, and an Art Sale, plus the Chevron-presented Function for the Junction, so save these early 2008 dates. More... Opportunities at the Junction: We have open positions for Deputy Director and Software Trainer. Those positions not a perfect fit, but think you might be anyway? More... Do-It-Yourself Tax Assistance: Supported by the PMI Foundation and the United Way, we'll open Mondays and Saturdays to help taxpayers e-file free for fast refunds. More... Class 24 Graduation: Supervisor Federal Glover will join us on December 20th as special guest speaker at graduation! Join us and bring a friend. More... Volunteers Make the World Go Round: As a special thank you to our volunteers, the Junction will be hosting a breakfast Friday, February 8. More... Welcome New Staff Members: Program Assistant Gloria Holbrook and Counselor Catherine Warren are welcome additions to the staff team at the Junction! More... |
Featured Alumna
When the mill shut down, Karen's husband lost his livelihood, and Karen needed to return to the workforce after years as a stay-at-home mom. Here's her story...Regular Features Make a Donation We now accept American Express, as well as Mastercard and VISA, for your end-of-year gifts, sponsorships, and DataWorks contracts. Our web donations are handled through PayPal, but credit card payments may also be made directly through the office. Contact Alissa or Jesse at (925) 776-1133. |
Karen Miguel: "I'm Going to Enjoy the Journey"
Karen had been a stay-at-home mom in a middle class family, making a conscious choice to help guide her children as they grew. Her husband had worked at the mill for 20 years, but now everything was up for grabs. They didn't want to move, because their families had lived in the area for 100 years. Karen would have to find a job. She found the employment landscape bleak, though. Without current computer skills, without recent work experience, and older than the typical entry level employee, Karen's choices were limited. She took a position in retail, earning less than minimum wage (with the possibility of earning commissions). The family slipped into poverty, hanging onto their home by a thread. No new shoes; no new clothes. These were difficult times: "It was hard not to take it personally," Karen recalls, "when the rug was pulled out from under us. I questioned my own worth and abilities. I think everybody does when those things happen." Although Karen's husband was working again, his earnings were much lower than they had been at the mill. Karen needed to earn more, or the family would lose everything. Motivated by poverty, sustained by faith, Karen found her inspiration for her next step in the person of an Opportunity Junction graduate whom she had known for years, Tonya Smith of Class 5. Karen learned about the Job Training and Placement Program, saw the ways it had helped Tonya develop skills and confidence, and applied. As a member of Class 23, Karen showed intense drive and singularity of purpose, serving as an inspiration to her classmates. She began her job search, with the help of Career Counselor Michelle Stewart, as a trainee; her family could not afford to wait. Setting her sights on a career in law enforcement, Karen began the long process of applying for a security clearance to work with the Transportation Security Agency and the Alameda County Sheriff's office. With training complete, Karen left immediately for an Assistant Manager position with a local family-owned company while continuing the TSA security clearance process, which included taking and passing her G.E.D. (high school equivalency). Three months later, she has received her clearance and is lined up to start her dream career in law enforcement. "As long as I have a pulse, I'm not giving up until I get where I'm supposed to be," Karen says. "And I'm going to enjoy the journey."
We're excited about the responses we've received so far, many of which are new or increased donations and, therefore, will be matched by the grant described below. If you haven't yet responded to the appeal, or didn't receive it -- let us hear from you! The appeal highlights the stories of program graduates who spoke eloquently about their experiences at Opportunity Junction: Individual donations are a very important part of what sustains Opportunity Junction's programs. From now through the end of June 2008, your individual donation will be doubled to the extent that it exceeds any donation you made in the 06-07 fiscal year. A new donor who contributes $5 will actually net us $10. A donor who contributed $100 last year and who increases their donation to $200 will have that increase matched, for a total impact of $300. Thanks so much to the Anonymous Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation for providing this grant to match up to $25,000 of increased donations, as well as other funding to increase our capacity! Through November 29, 2007, our FY2007-08 individual donors include:
Save the Dates for 2008 Poker, Art, Dream Girls, and Jersey Boys
Jobs at the Junction: Deputy Director, Software Trainer, or Try Writing Your Own Ticket!
In addition to posting for the positions of Deputy Director and Software Trainer, we are seeking great candidates with a passion for our mission and diverse skill sets. "We're very fortunate to have staff members who can and do wear many different hats," explains Alissa Friedman, Executive Director. "For an outstanding team member with passion and the adaptability, we can rearrange those hats. We are particularly interested in candidates recommended by our partners, and there are certain bottom-line qualifications we'll be looking for in any case." Candidates who have strong communication and analytical skills, self-awareness, and a sense of humor are invited to apply. Cover letters should include a description of how the candidate envisions fitting in at Opportunity Junction. Opportunity Junction pilots Do-It-Yourself Taxes as Part of Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Campaign
The interface that participants will be using is called I-CAN! E-file and was developed by the Legal Aid Society of Orange County. "I-CAN! is an excellent mission fit for us," explains Natalie Georgia, Job Training Program Coordinator, "because that's the whole point of what we do. We teach people how to help themselves." The program will be operated as part of the United Way of the Bay Area's Earn It! Keep It! Save It! program and will feature financial education in addition to volunteer trainers who will lead participants through the I-CAN! E-file web interface. Supported by a grant from The PMI Foundation, the site will be open Monday evenings and Saturday mornings throughout the tax season, beginning on February 2, 2008. Free tickets to the sessions, and a list of all currently scheduled sessions, can be found on the Opportunity Junction website. The free tickets are processed through EventBrite, to make sure that no more than 22 taxpayers sign up for each session. Sessions will be held in English and Spanish. Extra sessions are scheduled for the beginning of the tax season, to accommodate the rush of taxpayers who want to collect their refunds quickly. "We want our services to be available right away, so that taxpayers don't feel tempted to pay high interest rates for so-called 'Rapid Refunds'," explains Georgia. "We want taxpayers to collect their whole refund and use it all for their families' financial stability." The program is ideal for anyone who can surf the web, including (of course) graduates of the Opportunity Junction Job Training and Placement Program or Computer Basics evening class series. Clients who do not know how to surf the web can still participate in Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Volunteer Income Tax Assistance through other sites and can call 1-800-358-8832 for more information. Please post our flyer and encourage low-income taxpayers to collect their whole refund by filing electronically through Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Class 24 Celebrates Graduation December 20; CCTV to Televise
The ceremony will feature special guest speaker Supervisor Federal Glover. Supervisor Glover has a long history of dedicated and distinguished public service in this community, first on the boards of civic and service organizations, then on the Pittsburg City Council and as Mayor of Pittsburg, and now on the County Board of Supervisors. He is known for his work with young people and for encouraging citizen participation and input into local government. Class 24 is industrious and highly motivated with 15 trainees ready to graduate and begin the paid internship aspect of the program. "What I enjoyed most was learning from and working with fellow trainees," shares Sue Passero of Class 24. "I am looking forward to practicing our skills in the internship." Always eager to learn more, Class 24 strove to exceed expectations in both their software and life skills training. In case you can't make it (or just want to see it again), CCTV -- Contra Costa TV -- will tape and televise the graduation on Monday, January 7 at 4 pm, Wednesday, January 9 at 8 pm, and Friday, January 18 at 3 pm. CCTV is Comcast channel 27. Volunteers Make the World Go Round
Interested in being a mentor to one of our Job Training and Placement participants? We have Mentor Orientations scheduled for Thursday, January 10, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, Saturday, January 12, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, and Thursday, March 13, 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Following that, the next Mentor Training will be Saturday, March 29, from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm. For more information, contact Case Manager and Career Counselor Michelle Stewart. Opportunity Junction Welcomes Gloria Holbrook and Catherine Warren
"Gloria comes to us with such a broad spectrum of experiences and education," states Alissa Friedman, Executive Director. "We knew right away that she would be a great fit." Gloria has spent the last several years as a stay-at-home mom while volunteering with community organizations such as the Diablo Valley Chinese Cultural Association, which promotes Chinese culture in Contra Costa Country. She also volunteered and did freelance bookkeeping for Clayton Valley Parent Preschool. "Although this is only my first month," shares Holbrook, "I already know Opportunity Junction is a friendly environment where everyone is willing to help out."
Catherine particularly enjoys working with people who, like our program participants, are making important changes in their lives. "When in transition, people are more open to change," Catherine says. "Something has to end before something new can begin. You say goodbye to parts of your life and often mourn what has or has not happened. Through that process, you open yourself to the future." Catherine's own experience of immigrating to France from Poland as a young girl, and to the U.S. after marrying, has contributed to her understanding of the challenges brought on by major life changes. We're glad to have Catherine on staff to help provide the support that helps our program participants achieve lasting success! Our good wishes go with Kate Novotny, our previous Mental Health Clinician, who will be focusing on her private practice as well as her work with the VA hospital, and to Reina De La Rosa, our previous Program Assistant, who has accepted a position in advertising sales working closer to home. Wish ListMany thanks to those who have already responded with gifts and offers. Here is our current wish list:
Tips and Tricks: Use Rules and Filters to Simplify Your Email LifeIs this you? You learn about a new electronic mailing list or newsletter that you're really interested in, but you don't sign up for it, because you're already overwhelmed with too much mail. Fear not! Your email software has a simple way of allowing you to direct email so that it bypasses your Inbox and goes straight to a folder that you've designated, keeping your Inbox uncluttered and allowing you to read the information at your leisure. Let's say, for example, that you're hunting for a job and you hear that there's a great organization called Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) that sends out emails daily about non-profit jobs. You go to their website, www.ynpn.org, and you sign up by giving them your email address (caution: never sign up for anything on the Internet unless you have reliable information – our newsletter, for example – that it's safe.) Now you start getting email from YNPN, maybe several emails each day. When you receive an email from them, you can tell your email software what rules you want similar emails to follow in the future. For example, you can tell your software to have each email from YNPN skip the Inbox and go directly into a folder that you've named Nonprofit Jobs. Then you can read the messages at your leisure. To set your rules or filters (different programs use different names for this): Fine and good, you say, but what about this darn spam? Using your email software's rules or filters is not going to prevent spam because spammers change their identifying information constantly. For a recent article on Things You Can Do to Prevent Spam, visit http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/internet/page4782.cfm. May a clutter-free Inbox soon be yours! Funding and In-Kind PartnersOpportunity Junction wishes to acknowledges all of its corporate, foundation and government funders, sponsors, and in-kind providers: Opportunity Junction Hiring PartnersWelcome to new Hiring Partners Venturi Staffing Partners and the Nelson Family of Companies! Hiring Partners are companies that agree to consider Opportunity Junction Job Training and Placement Program graduates as candidates for job openings where appropriate, as well as to consider other forms of support, such as participating in the Mentor Program.To join them and to help us place Job Training and Placement participants into good jobs with opportunities for advancement, fill out our very simple Memorandum of Understanding. Many thanks to our other Opportunity Junction Hiring Partners:
Friends of Opportunity JunctionThe Friends of Opportunity Junction are an energetic, talented group of women dedicated to supporting Opportunity Junction's work in the community. We are thrilled with their efforts to publicize our work, help with special events and donor development, and support the staff in innumerable ways. They are: Anne Launt, Beth Bissell, Betty Stokes, Denise Silicani, Frances Wallace, Helen Loewenstein, Jan Monteyne, Jane Collett, Judy Johnson, Jules Campbell, Karla Massie, Kathy Burke, Kathy Leahy, Mary Ann Shattuck, Mary Jane Arnold, Mary Jane Hargrove, Maureen Wilhelm, Norma Evans, Pam Elliott, Pamela Halloran, Sarah Morrill, Sue George, and Sue Kidd. Ways to Get InvolvedIf you share our vision, we'll find a way to help you get involved - whatever your schedule, whatever your resources. You can:
Contact the Opportunity Junction StaffWe welcome your feedback and involvement in our program. You can reach any of us by telephone at (925) 776-1133. Staff emails are all in the form firstname AT opportunityjunction DOT org. For inquiries about:
The Opportunity Junction Board of Directors
The Opportunity Junction Advisory BoardThe Advisory Board consists of community members who provide valuable advice and other assistance in support of our mission to fight poverty by helping low-income Contra Costa residents gain the competence and confidence to support themselves and their families. They are:
You may unsubscribe from our periodic emails by sending a message by clicking here to that effect. Please indicate the email address to be removed, if it is not the same as your return email address. Newsletter Contributors: Alissa Friedman, Jesse Golden, and Brianna Burkman | ||||||||
It was a day like any other day, except that Karen's husband came back from work after a mere 15 minutes. No, he wasn't ill. The entire workforce had been sent home. Sixty days later, the doors of the mill closed forever.
"Because of you" is the theme of the Holiday Appeal this year, because it really is because of you -- our supporters, our partners, our community -- that our work is possible.
Opportunity Junction will be piloting Do-It-Yourself Tax Assistance this year, helping low-income families prepare and file their own taxes electronically for free so that they can get the fastest possible refund.
Opportunity Junction is excited to welcome Gloria Hsiaofang Holbrook to our staff as Program Assistant. With a BS in Management and an MBA in Finance from Golden State University, Gloria will also assume some bookkeeping responsibilities in addition to her assistant duties.
We also want to welcome back Catherine Warren, MFT, as our resident Mental Health Clinician, providing one-on-one support to participants and alumni of the Opportunity Junction Job Training and Placement Program. Catherine acted in this capacity during the maternity leave of outgoing clinician Kate Novotny and has extensive experience as a therapist, both in direct service and in supervising therapists in training. She holds a Masters degree in Clinical Counseling from Cal State University East Bay and has been affiliated with Family and Community Services of Contra Costa in San Pablo as a therapist and Clinical Director, and as faculty at the Psychotherapy Institute in Berkeley. She currently teaches and supervises at the Women's Therapy Center in El Cerrito.