Community Opportunities Fair

Peace, Love, and Opportunity

Date: Thursday February 28, 2008 10:00 am – 2:00pm
Location: THEARC FBR Branch Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington
1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE

Come take advantage of the following opportunities: Employers, Educational Institutions, Career and Vocational Training, Health Screenings, Housing Services, Mentors, Social Service Agencies, Youth Opportunities, and More!!

SOME OF THE VENDORS AND EXHIBITORS ARE:

• ACHIEVEMENT PREPARATORY ACADEMY
• AHEC
• ALLIANCE OF CONCERNED MEN
• AMERICAN RED CROSS OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA
• AMERIGROUP MOBILE UNIT
• ANDREWS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
• ARCH TRAINING CENTER
• BREAD FOR THE CITY
• CAR SEAT SAFETY (DOT)
• COMMERCE BANK
• COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT TRAINING ACADEMY
• COVENANT HOUSE OF GREATER WASHINGTON
• CSOSA
• CVS
• DCHS
• DEVRY UNIVERSITY
• DIVINE IMAGES NETWORK, INC.
• EAST OF THE RIVER CLERGY POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
• EAST RIVER FAMILY STRENGTHENING COLLABORATIVE
• EXCEL ACADEMY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL
• FAMILY and MEDICAL COUNSELING SERVICES, INC.
• FAMILY MEDICAL MOBILE UNIT
• FAR SOUTHEAST FAMILY STRENGTHENING COLLABORATIVE
• LATIN AMERICAN YOUTH CENTER
• MENZFIT
• METRO TEENAIDS
• MOM MOBILE UNIT
• PARKLANDS COMMUNITY CENTER
• PEACEOHOLICS
• POSITIVE CHOICES
• POSSE FOUNDATION
• POTOMAC COLLEGE
• QUALITY TRUST FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
• SASHA BRUCE YOUTHWORK, INC.
• SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
• STRIVE DC
• THE EXCEL INSTITUTE
• TRAINING GROUNDS
• URBAN ALLIANCE
• URBAN ED, INC.
• US ARMY
• WILLIAM C. SMITH VILLAGE OF PARKLANDS
• ZERO TO THREE

Lunch will be provided as it lasts!!!!
Only You Can Make A Difference In Your Life

Summer Employment for D.C. Youth

Registration is underway for the 2008 Summer Youth Program. The 10-week employment program, which begins June 16, offers experience and education for residents ages 14 to 21 by providing jobs with District and federal agencies and nonprofit groups.

Participants work 20 to 30 hours a week and earn $6.55 per hour. They also may compete for positions in the private and federal sectors, working 20 to 40 hours a week for higher wages. Applicants must provide proof of District residency and a Social Security number. College students must bring a resume and college transcript.

To apply, visit the Department of Employment Services Office of Youth Programs, 625 H St. NE, or the department's Web site, http://www.does.dc.gov (click on "Youth Services"). Applications must be submitted, in person, no later than April 26.

For information, call 202-698-3991.

FIFTY-ONE VETERANS IN NEED OF NEW HOUSING
-Homeless Veterans Provider Appeals for Assistance-

WASHINGTON, DC - 51 veterans, who live at Ignatia House on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) must find new homes by the end of next month to make way for a $2 billion redevelopment effort on the grounds of the home in Northwest DC. The men and women of Ignatia House are all formerly homeless veterans. Many of them have been living at the House for years while seeking employment and permanent housing. Many also receive important health care services from the VA Medical Center which is located across the street.

“Ignatia House helps make the lives of many veterans better,” said Stephanie Buckley, Regional Director of the United States Veterans Initiative. “Our house is a community of individuals making progress one day at a time. We hope there is a way to keep this important program going. After all, there is such a need in the Washington area for the services we provide.”

Although the AFRH redevelopment plan includes space for a 100-bed facility for homeless veterans, it is unlikely that the facility can be planned, permitted, constructed and opened for many years, nor will it come close to being able to serve the estimated 2,500 homeless veterans in the DC area. U.S. VETS, a collaboration of the nonprofit United States Veterans Initiative and Cloudbreak Development, a special needs housing developer, has been providing housing and social and employment services for homeless veterans at Ignatia House for the past 4 1/2 years. U.S. VETS was informed by the AFRH on December 19th that their lease would only be extended 30 days and the veterans must vacate the premises by next month.

Since then, U.S. VETS has been diligently working to secure a new location for the program. Unfortunately, due to a fire last Friday at what appeared to be a potential site, the search has taken on new urgency.

"This is going to be a time of stress for veterans living at Ignatia House," said Dwight Radcliff, Executive Director of United States Veterans Initiative. "Ignatia house is their home. We are encouraging them to face this time as an opportunity to manage the uncertainties of life with hope and courage. "

"It is critical that we find another site, and we are asking for help in that endeavor", said Tim Cantwell, Manager of Cloudbreak Development. "While always viewed as only the initial step to a large scale permanent facility sufficient to address the needs of DC area homeless veterans (400-500 beds), the limited capacity of Ignatia House has been a fabulous setting for providing service enriched housing to the 51 veterans seeking to restore their lives. We are talking to all stakeholders, civic leaders, developers, property owners, anybody who can help us find a site where at a minimum U.S. VETS can relocate the current small program.”

Contact: Stephanie Buckley, 602-721-0678 or sbuckley@usvetsinc.org