PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Two nonprofits are banning together to assist South Florida jobs seekers in the midst of the pandemic.
Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and Alpert Jewish Family Service of Palm Beach County (JFS) just launched a new program called Jewish Community Career Services.
Anyone who is looking for a job is welcome to receive the one-on-one assistance career coaching available.
The program also offers workshops on resume writing, interview skills, personal brand development and help to navigate the unemployment application.
Participants will also be able to receive mentorship with professionals in the community and gain access to a pop-up career closet for business apparel.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reports more than 155,000 COVID-19 related unemployment claims in Palm Beach County alone.
According to the DEO, reemployment assistance claims dashboard, more than 20 percent of the county’s workforce has filed an unemployment claim since mid-March.
Jewish Community Career Services is designed to provide the unemployed and underemployed with the resources necessary to be successful in the workforce – particularly amidst unprecedented economic uncertainty with rising layoffs.
The program is funded Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County through a grant from its J-Help Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund, a critical fundraising effort in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis.
“With such immense need right now for employment services, we are incredibly proud that we can launch this program,” said Marc Hopin, CEO of Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service of Palm Beach County. “We are well-positioned to provide the growing number of unemployed and underemployed community members with the skills, coaching and support to help them as they look forward in their professional career.”
JFS is a 45-year old nonprofit dedicated to providing a wide range of social services to strengthen individuals and families, including counseling, psychiatry and case management, as well as providing aid for community needs.
“The search for a new job can be challenging and complicated, particularly as there have been considerable changes for many due to COVID-19, so our work each day has focused on solutions for the most urgent needs in our community,” shared Michael Hoffman, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County. “We are proud to support this employment program provided by JFS, and grateful for the incredible support of generous people in our community who contributed to our J-Help campaign.”
Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County is committed to providing financial support to its partners that are serving the community’s urgent needs, especially at a time when employment services are considered critical.
For more information about the program, click here.
Job seekers can also contact Whitney Cherner at whitney.cherner@alpertjfs.org or call 561-490-5554.