This 500th client’s success is both a shining testament to the efficacy of the program and a triumph for its efforts. The Parnossah Employment Services Program is generously funded by the UJA-Federation of New York to address the unique needs of the “Haredi” population of New York, for whom traditional career service programs are not culturally sensitive. The UJA-Federation’s vision and commitment to our communities can be credited for transforming lives as well as livelihoods.
Since 2014, The Parnossah Employment Services Program has been here in our communities helping people move forward. Initially established in Crown Heights, then in Boro Park a few months later, the program now has an ever-expanding reach with a client base throughout the NYC area including Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, and Southern Westchester as well as in the Five Towns and West Hempstead.
With many community members looking to enter or re-enter the workforce , and the challenging economic times we live in, people constantly turn to Parnossah Employment Services for job placement services as well as career counselling, resume assistance, and interview preparation. Their goal is to support themselves with dignity, and JCCGCI’s role has evolved and expanded to fill that demand. Today, individuals can also benefit from training grants which fund their studies in areas of interest, such as accounting, computing, or medical fields.
A job means financial security and dignity, and as Mr. Jeffrey Prince, MBA, Director of Job Development explains, “the effect of steady employment often transforms the lives of an entire family.” He has worked with many mature clients and single parents, helping them update resumes and prepare for interviews, directing each one towards suitable and rewarding positions. Mr. Prince co-ordinates with sister projects of JCCGCI, such as its Crown Heights Career Hub, Crown Heights Career Assessment Program, citywide Career Pathways program and citywide Workforce Development Project /JobMap, to tailor assistance to each client’s needs.
All these programs benefit from the guidance and oversight of Virginia Cruickshank, retired Senior Vice President for Workforce Development at FEGS and one of NYC’s most respected and experienced leaders in the field of workforce development.
In one case, a single woman from Flatbush who had worked in a family business for most of her adult life and assumed she would remain there lost her job almost overnight when her relatives suddenly sold the business. She was referred to the Parnossah Employment Services Program for job placement assistance earlier this year. After receiving help in updating her resume, career counselling, and interview preparation assistance, she was also referred to the JCCGCI's sister organization, Crown Heights Career Hub, to upgrade her computer skills. Within weeks, she was hired and began work in a hardware company in Brooklyn, and three months later, her first salary increase completed the fulfilling picture.
Yosef R., a bright young man from Crown Heights in his late 20s, contacted the Parnossah Program a few months ago for help. Yosef has several years of advanced Yeshiva/Rabbinical School studies and completed his B.A. degree through an online university program. He been working as a Data Analyst for a non-profit organization until the job ended due to budgetary cutbacks, and was looking for a similar type of position. He had previously attended the UJA-Federation funded Crown Heights Career Hub where he received important computer skills and soft-skills training. Within a few short weeks, the Parnossah Program had arranged Yosef an interview with a leading Crown Heights school for a Data Analyst position. He was immediately hired at a starting salary of $25/Hour. Yosef was thrilled to find the ideal position, and the school has listed several additional open positions with the Parnossah Program!
A client from Brighton Beach, aged 45, had recently separated from her husband after a difficult marriage. She had not worked during her marriage, since her ex-husband wanted her to stay home. Having arrived in the United States from the Former Soviet Union about 20 years ago, and becoming Orthodox during the past few years, she knew she had to upgrade her skills and plan ahead. The Program Coordinator was able to provide her with a partial scholarship for the COPE Institute's Junior Accountant/Assistant Controller four-month training program, which she graduated near the top of her class! Now an accounting assistant on a generous salary, this client is considering getting her CPA certification.
Perhaps the most fulfilling encounters for Mr. Prince have been those where a client he has assisted gets in touch with the Parnossah Employment Services Program again—paying the kindness forward as a hiring manager for their company, turning to the program to refer candidates for employment.
To schedule an appointment with the Parnossah Employment Services program, please call Mr. Prince at 718-449-5000 ext. 2246 or e-mail j.prince@jccgci.org.
