In this issue...
After years of abusing drugs and herself, Shannon is now the role model she always wanted to be for her son. Here's her story.. |
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Regular Features |
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| Late Additions: Free Money at October 11th Economic Stimulus Clinic; Job Training and Placement Toolkit Available; Volunteer Architect Needed for Space Redesign | |
Featured Alumna
Shannon Abbott: "Opportunity Junction is a little place on the corner where magic happens."
When their home burned down, Shannon and her family moved around, staying with different relatives, hoping for someplace stable. She moved to the East Bay to live with her father, but things didn't improve. While dropping out and then returning to high school, Shannon continued on her path of self-destruction and continued to abuse drugs. "When I discovered I was pregnant, I knew I wanted something better for my life. So I quit drinking and using drugs and moved back in with my father." With support from her family, Shannon tried to get vocational training from Western Career College. With a certificate in Health Information Technologies and $15,000 in debt, Shannon still couldn't find a job. Feeling hopeless and lost, Shannon easily returned to drinking and, this time, to cocaine. Things turned even worse when the prostitute she lived with threatened to jump her and her son after an altercation. "That's when I returned to the East Bay area committed to turning my life around," Shannon reveals. "My son was the most important thing in my life, and I knew I had to be a better mom and person for him. I also wanted to prove to every person who doubted me that I was capable of being stronger." That's when she applied to Opportunity Junction. “I have never met people [staff] who work every day to help people and who love doing it. I didn't know that there were people in this world who actually supported you and sincerely wanted you to do well. My life had been spent with people trying to keep me down and hating any successes I achieved. "I discovered a side of myself I never knew existed. Now I have the confidence to apply for that $15 an hour job. I can take a drug test and not be afraid of passing it. I can look at my son and be proud of what he sees me doing. This program is amazing." Shannon uses her new computer skills and confidence as a Record's Clerk with Mirant Energy where she compiles records, logs information, and prepares the documents for packaging and shipment. "Being at Opportunity Junction brought out a side of me I didn't know existed," Shannon shares, "it is a little place on the corner where magic happens." Theme of 2009 Gala, Presented by Chevron, is Imagine
Sponsorship invitations and auction item solicitations will soon be circulating for Imagine, Opportunity Junction's 2009 Gala. Featuring many of the same elements as the wildly successful 2008 Gala -- dinner by Culinary Excellence, at the Shadelands Civic Arts Center, with M.C. Cheryl Hurd of NBC11 and Auctioneer Dennis McCormac -- the Imagine gala will feature Beatles' music during hors d'oeuvres and dancing after dinner. We are grateful to Chevron for once again being the Presenting Sponsor of the gala, ensuring that all other revenues go directly to support the organization and its programs. In FY2007-08, the gala raised close to $90,000 in net revenues. Record Numbers Apply for Job Training — A Look Behind the Numbers
"For the first time ever, we could have selected two full classes of applicants," according to Natalie Georgia, Manager of Personal Development. "Selecting the class was difficult because there were so many candidates who needed our services and seemed like they would be successful in the program." There is no one consistent or predictable profile for who is applying. So, who are all of these candidates desiring training in computer skills and life skills? There is the single mother about to time out of CalWORKs who has been unable to find a job despite her efforts with Job Club, much less one that pays the $25.00 an hour needed to support herself and two children in Contra Costa County. There is the recent widow desperate to find her place in the workforce after decades of raising a family and keeping a home no longer having the support of her husband. There is the fresh high school graduate with a diagnosed learning disability and without the skills to support him or herself in the workforce. There is the lifetime professional with low feelings of self-worth, recently laid off from the mortgage industry, and having no transferrable skills for the current job market. There is the laborer injured in the workplace or laid off because of the economy with no computer skills or experience in an office setting. There is the recovering addict determined to get his or her life on track but unable to qualify for CalWORKs because of a felony drug conviction and unable to find gainful employment because of a criminal record. This is just the beginning of the many stories our applicants share during the interview process for the Job Training and Placement Program. "We wish our capacity allowed us to admit more trainees during one training period, and we are hoping to expand the services we provide," Natalie Georgia shares. "Many applicants require services beyond our capabilities, and we do our best to refer them to our partners and other community organizations." The next application period for the Job Training and Placement Program begins Monday, January 5, 2009. Call us at (925) 776-1133 for more information about the next class or our evening Technology Center. Economic Downturn Drops Entry-Level Wages Well Below Self-Sufficiency
The global credit crunch has local consequences. Since the mortgage crisis hit in mid-2007 -- and over the past year as banks have failed and houses have been lost to foreclosure -- wages in entry-level office and administrative jobs locally have plummeted. "Jobs that used to pay $12 an hour now pay $10," notes Michelle Stewart, Manager of Professional Development. "Educational requirements are more demanding, too, with entry-level jobs often requiring junior college diplomas." At Opportunity Junction, our graduates' starting wages have fallen from more than $15 an hour in FY2006-07 (July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007) to $12.80 per hour during FY2007-08. "There are good jobs with career paths that are hiring in at the $10 level," says Stewart. "Unfortunately, it's impossible to survive on those earnings as a single parent without ongoing government support or subsidies." The latest data on what families need to earn to be self-sufficient was released earlier this year by The Insight Center in Oakland. The Family Economic Self-Sufficiency Standard calculates the basic living expenses for different family sizes and the wage level necessary to cover those expenses. For a single parent with one preschooler and one school-age child in Contra Costa, a common family configuration among our Job Training and Placement Participants, the annual cost of rent, childcare, food, medical, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses comes to $52,727. That parent has to earn $24.97 an hour to cover those costs on her own. "Our participants are working hard and playing by the rules," says Stewart, "but most could not survive without Section 8 [rent subsidies] and childcare subsidies. It's the lucky few who have an extended family that can support them while they work their way up the career ladder." "Our February 2008 survey of local employers showed solid demand for office workers," adds Alissa Friedman, Executive Director. "We are hopeful that these employers will resume hiring and driving wages up for qualified candidates once the current economic turmoil has been resolved." Anonymous Fund Challenge Grant Inspires Donors; Challenge Renewed for FY2008-09
Opportunity Junction donors -- new and continuing -- responded with tremendous generosity this past year to a one-to-one match on all new and increased donations. The challenge grant, issued by the Anonymous Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation, was designed to help us develop our organizational self-sufficiency, with a base that can help us weather the economic cycles and expand our impact. This year, the Anonymous Fund has issued the challenge once again, but those increased donations will have to be on top of FY2007-08 levels instead of FY2006-07 levels. We know many of our supporters stretched this past year, so one huge focus for us will be the development of new donors. Please contact Brianna Burkman, Manager of Fundraising and Special Projects, at (925) 776-1133, if you might be willing to host a house party. We'll help you plan a fun and meaningful event for your friends and associates. We are grateful to the following FY2007-08, who helped us match all $25,000 of the challenge grant this past year:
East Bay Community Foundation to Invest in Economic Independence for Families in Eastern Contra Costa
The East Bay Community Foundation completed its 2008 East Bay Community Needs Assessment this summer, and beginning immediately, the Foundation's grantmaking will focus on two key areas -- promoting economic independence for adults and families in need and ensuring educational success for young children -- in four regions with particular need -- Oakland, Richmond, eastern Contra Costa County, and southern Alameda County. The report's data and conclusions are informing the Foundation's new mission: to speed the transformation of low-income, disadvantaged, impoverished, underserved and underrepresented people and communities. The full 110-page report, as well as 10-page and 4-page summaries, are available on the Foundation's website. Opportunity Junction already counts the Foundation as one of its most important partners in promoting families' economic stability and expects to continue working with the Foundation on these issues. Summarizing the changes that have occurred in the region since 2005, the Foundation reports that "The East Bay continued its transition to an 'hourglass economy,' where new jobs are divided between low-wage, low-skill jobs and high wage jobs, with little growth of living-wage jobs in the middle." Here at Opportunity Junction, as reported in this newsletter, we have noticed a steep drop in wages for office and administrative jobs during the past year, specifically. "We agree that this is an area where the Foundation's investment of resources, attention and energy can have a profound effect on families and communities," states Alissa Friedman, Opportunity Junction Executive Director. Stanford Alumni Consulting Team Provides Valuable Evaluation and Counsel
With the economy in flux and need skyrocketing -- and myriad, sometimes conflicting, ideas for how to improve and expand our services -- we were tremendously fortunate this year to be granted consulting services by the Stanford Alumni Consulting Team (Stanford ACT). Stanford ACT provides pro bono management consulting services to the nonprofit community through a network of alumni volunteers who attended the Graduate School of Business. Each of the six members of the team that served Opportunity Junction -- Al Davis, Ernie Leopold, Ed Best, Pat Brennan, Mike Smith, and Vince Forte -- has years of executive experience in the for-profit sector, along with experience on nonprofit boards and consulting with other nonprofits through Stanford ACT. 
"These guys understand the constraints we work with as nonprofits," explained Alissa Friedman, Executive Director. "I never had to explain that to them. I mean, Ed [Best] had been on 22 Stanford ACT projects before ours! I may know more about Opportunity Junction, but they have seen so much, and they shared their expertise with incredible generosity." Their conclusions? The research they presented to the Board has helped us identify important strategic priorities for the next two or three years. We'll be taking a long, hard look at DataWorks this year, engaging our alumni to bolster follow-up services, and working on improving our metrics. We hope to be able to receive continuing mentoring as we move forward with planning and implementation. October 11th -- Claim Your Economic Stimulus Check!On Saturday, October 11th, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Opportunity Junction offices at 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch, IRS employees and volunteers will be helping those who have not yet filed their 2007 tax returns to claim Economic Stimulus payments. The payments, which can be as much as $300, can only be claimed by income earners (including SSA and VA benefits) who file a 2007 tax return by October 15, 2008. Those not required to file -- many seniors, disabled people, and veterans -- because they do not owe taxes, may still file their returns to claim the Economic Stimulus payment if their income exceeded $3,000 for the year. You must file by October 15th to claim the check, so stop by Opportunity Junction on October 11th for the Economic Stimulus Payment Clinic! Know somebody who could benefit? Spread the word! Please contact Kimberly Mercer at (925) 776-1133 to get on the list for more information. Job Training and Placement Program Toolkit AvailableThe Opportunity Junction Job Training and Placement Program Toolkit is available to nonprofits who want to replicate the success of our holistic, comprehensive program. The toolkit, funded in part by a generous grant from the Community Collaborative Fund at the California Consumer Protection Foundation, contains complete curricula for training sessions, as well as detailed information about support services and philosophy. Donations of $10 to cover the cost of CD reproduction and shipping are appreciated. Volunteer Architect Needed for Space RedesignOpportunity Junction needs a volunteer architect to help us redesign our space. Originally a mattress store, 3102 Delta Fair Blvd. has served us well, but plans for expanding our services will require that we have closed classrooms, and we want to be creative in maximizing limited space. Please contact Alissa Friedman at (925) 776-1133 if you or someone you know is willing to provide pro bono services. 
Ask the Tech: Ryan FernandesRyan Fernandes is our volunteer IT Consultant and the Chief Technology Consultant for East County Tech. If you have a question about your computer you would like answered in our next newsletter, email Ryan at AsktheTech AT opportunityjunction DOT org.Dear IT Tech, I go online with several different computers — at home, at work, and at Opportunity Junction’s public computer lab in the evening. Some of the websites I use require passwords. I’ve heard that it’s not a good idea to use the same password all the time. What do you recommend for creating passwords, and how can I remember my passwords no matter what computer I’m using? Yours, Puzzled by Passwords in Antioch Dear Puzzled, As Internet technologies continue to advance, we get the convenience of conducting business online anywhere and anytime. With this wonderful benefit comes the need for security to protect our information. Having different “strong” passwords is the best way to minimize the risk of security and data being compromised. A strong password is one that is at least 12 characters, and includes a random combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. So, how does one remember all these passwords without driving yourself nuts? I recommend a Password Manager. A password manager is software that helps a user organize passwords and PIN codes. The software typically has a local database or files that hold the encrypted password data. There are many commercial password managers available, which also include password generators. For the purpose of this article, I am using KeePass, a free, secure, open source, light-weight and easy-to-use password manager. I recommend using a software with minimum 256-bit encryption. Password managers typically use a user-selected master password or passphrase to form the key used to encrypt the protected passwords database. This master password must be a "strong" password. I suggest using the Leet methodology for the master password. If you need to carry your passwords with you, I recommend installing the password manager on an encrypted USB Flash drive. The latest KeePass software can be downloaded here. For USB drives, download the software under the 'Portable' section. WARNING: Do Not access your financial or confidential accounts on computers that are open to the public. Criminal elements use "keyloggers" to record all your keystrokes and any data that is copied to the clipboard. Some sites may have online keyboards that minimize this risk. Also, beware of "shoulder surfers." Hope this helps! :-) Regards, Ryan Fernandes
In the Media: Class 26 Graduation to Air on CCTV September 30On September 30th (Tuesday), at 3 pm on CCTV (Comcast Channel 27 and Astound Channel 32), the Class 26 Graduation Ceremony featuring Supervisor Susan Bonilla will air. If you missed this moving event, please set your VCR or DVR to record! Alumni News
Wish ListMany thanks to those who have already responded with gifts and offers. Here is our current wish list:
New Grants and Support for our Programs
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 PartnersHiring 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, Patricia Shattuck, Sarah Morrill, Selma Moore, 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 here. Please note that we do not sell or lease our email newsletter list to anyone. Newsletter Contributors: Alissa Friedman, Brianna Burkman, and Ryan Fernandes.
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Shannon was only nine when she started drinking and smoking anything from cigarettes to marijuana to crystal methamphetamine. It was the lifestyle she learned from watching her mother. She was even used to sleeping outside or at a friend's house when her mom locked Shannon and her siblings out of their trailer for days as she slept off a binge. 
With the current economic climate and job market, it may come as no surprise that fully 110 candidates began the process of applying to our Job Training and Placement Program this month. A record 89 completed all phases of the application process.
Alumni & participants barbecue and miniature golf at Golf N Games. 
Comerica Charitable Foundation: We are honored to receive a grant to support the internship component of our Job Training and Placement Program from the 
United Way of the Bay Area: We are honored and grateful to be a part of the 
