Stronger Together brings local non-profits money for job training, by George Fiala

A new program called Stronger Together is helping a few non-profits to continue offering free employment services to residents of public housing.

RHI and other organizations premiered the program recently in Gowanus at the offices of the Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC), an organization that developed affordable housing in Park Slope and neighboring communities starting in the late 1970’s.
Stronger Together, funded by a grant from the city council as well as various charities, will offer free job training and placement, adult education and individual and family support services, such as legal advice, financial coaching, benefits counseling and tax preparation. The Fifth Avenue Committee, Red Hook Initiative and the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Corporation (SBIDC) will share $1 million over the next four years so they can offer job training at no charge.

Among the groups who handed out flyers at tables set up in the front of the FAC building were Red Hook on the Road, RHI, and the Brooklyn Workforce Innovations. Both Red Hook on the Road and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations (BWI) are FAC subsidiaries. There was a resume preparation class in session with one participant.

Councilmembers Brad Lander and Carlos Menchaca spoke at the event.

Menchaca said:

“The Stronger Together model represents the best of Brooklyn—government working with community-based and trusted organizations to improve the lives of local residents,” says Carlos Menchaca, New York City Council Member and Co-Chair of the Council’s Brooklyn Delegation. The leadership of Fifth Avenue Committee, Brooklyn Workforce Innovations, Red Hook Initiative, Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation, and my colleagues in government have created a space where people in our local communities will have a fighting chance to get the jobs—and the lives—that they deserve. This model can serve to meet the needs of communities from across our City concerned with unemployment, lack of education, and lack of access to a higher quality of life.

Brad Landeris known as an eloquent spearker. He said:

“Stronger Together stands poised to lift over 1,200 public housing residents in Gowanus, Wyckoff, and Red Hook Houses out of poverty through new opportunities in education, workforce development and placement into good jobs.”

He continued: “I’m proud to work together with Council Member Carlos Menchaca to support these high caliber organizations with proven track-records of poverty reduction. This initiative also strengthens our ‘Bridging Gowanus’ effort to insure that the future of the area around the Gowanus Canal brings real benefits for neighborhood families. When it comes to fighting poverty, we truly are stronger together.”

While this program provides no jobs except for employees of the organizations receiving the grants, they do offer free job placement services. The target audience for these programs are residents of the Red Hook and Gowanus Houses and consist of:

(FAC) Adult Education, offering HS equivalency, English as a second language – 294 Smith Street, 718 624-3475

(FAC) Employment Services, offering career counseling, resume preparation, access to computers for job search activities, job placement assistance, 621 Degraw Street, 718 237-2017

(BWI) Job Training and Placement, offering free training in commercial driving, cable installation, TV & film production, woodworking. BWI also trains NYCHA residents of jobs at NYCHA properties. 718 237-2121

(SBIDC) Free job placement in the industrial sector for qualified secretaries, laborers, bookkeepers, maintenance workers, mechanics and drivers. 241 41st Street (718) 965-3100

(RHI) Youth Services. Free educational, employment, counseling and referral services for those 18-24 living in Red Hook. 767 Hicks Street (718) 858-6782

(FAC) Individual & Family Support. Free public benefits counseling, application assistance and advocacy, legal services, financial coaching, tax preparation. 621 Degraw Street (347) 844-0220