Better Together, Lee County Homeless Coalition to host Homeless Service Day & Second Chance Pop-up Job Fair

Better Together and the Lee County Homeless Coalition are partnering to host a Homeless Service Day & Second Chance Pop-up Job Fair on Thursday, July 14 for Southwest Florida job seekers facing barriers to employment including homelessness.

A Better Together second-chance job fair helps job seekers overcome barriers to employment by opening the door to background-friendly employers who are ready to hire. Free one-on-one job coaching sessions are also available to job seekers to review resumes and interviewing skills.

This pop-up event also features Lee County Homeless Coalition’s first pop-up Homeless Service Day to help attendees secure an up-to-date Florida ID or replacement driver’s license, which is a common barrier to employment for individuals experiencing homelessness. The service will be provided by Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ mobile FLOW bus.

“The coalition members strive to identify gaps and provide solutions for those experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness,” said Therese Everly, executive director of the Lee County Homeless Coalition. “The pop-up Florida ID/driver’s license and job fair event increases access to much needed services by bringing services directly to the community we serve.”

This event is possible through the collaborative efforts of the coalition members: Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Human & Veteran Services, Lee County Clerk of Court, Lee County Tax Collector, Hope Clubhouse, United Way, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, and Grace Church, which will also be providing services and resources onsite.

“Meaningful, sustainable employment is critical, yet the job search can be a disheartening experience for those with obstacles to employment such as homelessness. It only takes one ‘yes’ to change a person’s life,” said Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. “The community is stepping up to create opportunities and restore hope for those in need of work. We know the challenges that many face when they are seeking employment and are ready with solutions and resources to help job seekers thrive.”

The job fair is also open to job seekers facing other barriers to employment, including previous incarceration, lack of reliable child care or transportation, or gaps on a resume due to the pandemic.

Participating employers include PeopleReady, Hands On Staffing and Mitchell & Stark Construction.

The community job fair is part of Better Together’s “Better Jobs” program, which has helped more than 36,000 applicants connect with employment opportunities across 26 states. At job fairs hosted by Better Together, two-thirds of attendees get a job interview, and nearly half receive a job offer on the spot.

The July 14 pop-up event will take place at Grace Church, located at 2415 Grand Ave. in Fort Myers. The job fair runs from 9 to 11 a.m., while onsite licensing services are available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Job seekers and hiring employers can register at BetterTogetherUS.org/Events/Popup-JF.

Volunteers are needed for the upcoming event. For the job fair portion, contact gisela@bettertogetherus.org. For the ID services portion, contact info@leehomeless.org for further details.

Churches interested in hosting a Better Together job fair can visit BetterTogetherUS.org for more information.

ABOUT BETTER TOGETHER

Better Together is a nonprofit organization that helps parents going through a hard time keep their kids out of foster care, find work and address the root causes of their struggle so that they can reunite as a family with the tools and support system to thrive. A privately funded and professionally supported organization, Better Together is made up of volunteers who believe helping people help themselves is the best way to restore dignity and bring families together. Through the Better Families program, families are offered a preventive alternative to foster care while they get the help they need. To date, the program has kept 98% of children served out of foster care. The Better Jobs program was created to address the 76% of families that come to Better Together because of economic hardship tied to unemployment. In addition to community job fairs, the program offers job seekers coaching, guidance, support and encouragement through local church partners. For more information, visit BetterTogetherUS.org.

The Lee County Homeless Coalition is a nonprofit advocacy group made up of community and faith-based service providers, local businesses, people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, and other advocates committed to ending homelessness. The coalition is committed to ending homelessness by advocating and working together to provide more efficient services to those who experience homelessness. For more information on the Lee County Homeless Coalition, visit LeeHomeless.org or email info@leehomeless.org.

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