The Relatives’ Family Update

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Dear Relatives,

For many young people a first job is an important rite of passage. It serves as an education, a confidence-builder, and an introduction to responsibility and independence. I’m sure many of us can look back on our first jobs and remember the mistakes we made, the lessons we learned, along with the feeling of accomplishment. Regardless of where or how you started, that first job was your initial step towards a career.

For me it was The Peanut Shack in Johnson City, Tennessee’s Miracle Mall, where I learned the different varieties of nuts we sold and how to make peanut bark. While I can’t say I utilize these skills in my current role, my first job remains an important lesson in the power of social capital. The woman who owned the store attended my church and gave me the job because she wanted to give me a chance.

Many of the young adults who rely on The Relatives lack the support necessary to take those first steps towards independence. At last count there were 46,000 disconnected teens and young adults in Mecklenburg County who are not working, going to school, or training.

At The Relatives’ On Ramp Resource Center, the Employment Readiness Program seeks to provide teens and young adults with access to job opportunities. Thanks to your support, we’re able to provide resume building and interview skills workshops, employment attire, and job fairs. I’m also grateful to the 40 local employers who work with The Relatives to give disconnected teens and young adults a chance.

Thank you for being an important part of The Relatives family and for providing our community’s youth with a path towards independence and stability.

Trish Hobson
Executive Director

Partnerships for a Path Forward

Performance Staffing Solutions is our newest partner in connecting On Ramp Resource Center participants with job opportunities. They recently sponsored an on-site job fair with our young adults who received a one-to-one employment consultation with Blair Kitrick, Senior Account Executive. Blair has secured immediate work for 5 of our young adults (and counting!). Blair has a passion for helping those young adults who may have experienced barriers to employment in the past, find a job they love. We are so grateful for this partnership to bring stability into the lives of the young adults we serve.

Relatives Spotlight

Gregory has been working hard to secure a stable future for himself. He is accessing services through multiple avenues at the On Ramp Resource Center including case management to pinpoint and achieve his goals, counseling with our on-site clinician Mr. Battle, and housing through our scattered site approach. We are thrilled to share that Gregory recently obtained a job through Performance Staffing Solutions working as a Warehouse Associate. He has been forklift certified and is loving his new role with the company. Gregory is a fierce advocate for the On Ramp program among his peers and has shown true dedication to setting and reaching his goals.

Support Young Adults Just Starting Out

The Relatives strives to ensure our young adults get the support necessary to take their first steps towards independence. A critical part of that is having access to everyday essentials like underwear, socks and work attire. We hope you will consider donating from our needs list to help a young adult who is taking the first steps into adulthood.