|
Hopelink Accepts Major Gift
|
L to R: Natalie Lente, Shelley Noble, and Jim Young.
|
Jim Young, representing the BBRC Foundation Committee, orchestrated the latest gift as the result of the Committee’s deliberations during the Fall. Selected as the major recipient of the Club’s generosity is Hopelink, the Eastside’s premier caregiver for needy families.
Shelley Noble, Director of Family Services, and Natalie Lente, Program Director for a new Hopelink program, spoke on behalf of the organization, the beneficiary of a $20,000 grant to fund a pre-employment program for patrons of Hopelink.
Shelley thanked the Club for its ongoing support. “We’re trying hard to move families to better circumstances with our important services such as food banks, emergency shelters, and transportation. There are many stories of how Hopelink has helped these families, and the BBRC has been at the forefront of providing support for our family living center, scholarship dollars and financial assistance, Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas gifts, and lots of volunteer hours.”
Natalie Lente was introduced and said, “I thank you for your action here today. We cannot express our gratitude. The pre-employment program supports adults who have had difficulty holding jobs and are trapped in a cycle of poverty. For some, it’s a lack of income, others, education or poor job skills. Our goal is to improve their skills so they can maintain employment. Participants will work with a case manager for up to nine months. Various Eastside cities are participating as sponsors. An educational curriculum is part of the component where we will focus on self awareness, basic skills, and computer training. Hopelink serves the entire family, providing strength-based programs.”
|
