May 2016

In This Newsletter
Employer Spotlight
New Grants and Awards
Interested in Construction Training?
Interested in Customer Service Training?
TCWFI Receives CFED Fellowship

UPCOMING EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS
Tues. May 17 - TCWFI Orientation; 8am

Tues. May 24 - TCWFI Orientation; 8am

Sat. June 4 - Homebuyers Education Course; 8am

Tues. June 14 - TCWFI Orientation; 8am

Tues. June 21 -  Generation Class (Cohort 3) begins; 1p m
Thanks to 48in48 and Evermore, we've launched our new website!
Sponsored by over 30 companies including Delta Airlines, BKV, IBM and M ailchimp, 48in48 brought talented web designers together for one mission: to redesign 48 of Atlanta's nonprofits' websites in 48 hours! We are so excited about our new website: www.tcwfi.org

To learn more about 48in48, visit   here. 
SAVE THE DATE: McDaniel Street Bowl 
August 13, 2016
Pittman Park in Pittsburgh 
950 Garibaldi Street, SW 
Atlanta, GA 30310

Neighborhood Planning Unit-V and the Centers of Hope at Pittman Park and Dunbar Neighborhood Center are hosting the annual McDaniel Street Bowl. The goal of the Bowl is to promote unity through positive youth engagement. Join in on the fun, food and football!

Download the flyer  here
 
Employer Spotlight 
 
Our work is made whole with the support of our Employer Partner network. Special recognition to Walmart Historic Westside Village and Chamblee Walmart Supercenter for helping us place over 30 of our participants in entry-level positions. Kudos partner!



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Dear Reader, 

Exciting things are happening at The Center for Working Families everyday and we want you to be in the know! In this review, you will learn about the Center's recent awards, events, employment partnerships, and other news. Read on and enjoy!   

Annual Breakfast Fundraiser: Morning of Inspiration
 
Thanks to our sponsors.
On Monday, May 2, 2016 we hosted our Annual Breakfast Fundraiser: Morning of Inspiration.  Over 175 friends, partners and supporters attended and had an opportunity to take part in a day-in-the-life experience, hear the journey of one of our participants, Ms. Wysheki Epps as well as join a conversation on building Atlanta's workforce an amazing panel. 

The event raised $30,000 for our training programs, with over $8,000 being raised in just 15 minutes during the financial crisis simulation!  Many thanks to our event sponsors PNC Bank, Fifth Third Bank and The Annie E. Casey Foundation, in-kind sponsor The Gathering Spot and all table hosts and attendees. 

Visit our Facebook page for pictures. and read the news release here.
Our Village Keeps Growing...

Putt Putt Putt Grant 

TCWFI staff with Atlanta Hawks player, Kyle Korver.
The Kyle Korver Foundation, The Plywood People and Ponce City Market (PCM) banded together to present Putt Putt Putt, the PCM rooftop launch event benefiting 15 Atlanta nonprofits. With support from sponsoring organizations and through event ticket sales, a total of $235,000 was raised with $15,000 being equally distributed across 15 organizations. 

The Center will use funds from this grant for our Construction Ready training program; equipping participants with "day-one ready" toolkits including hardhats, goggles, vests, hammers, and steel toe boots. 

Learn more about Putt Putt Putt  here. 

John & Mary Franklin Grant

The John and Mary Franklin Foundation awarded The Center a $5,000 grant towards our Job Readiness Training Program.

Atlanta CareerRise Grant

The Center recently received a $125,000 grant to fund and help  s upport the scaling of the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia's (CEFGA) Construction Ready program. Currently operating at Westside Works and Build Cobb,  its newest expansion, Construction Ready at TCWFI will serve Neighborhood Planning Unit-V (NPU-V) and neighborhoods south of Interstate 20. 

Construction Ready at TCWFI will develop a pipeline of local talent for upcoming projects at Turner Field and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. I n this pilot year, 60 residents will be trained in Construction and Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Class B, earning over eight (8) nationally recognized certifications. 

Atlanta CareerRise funding will sponsor one cohort of 20 residents. In addition, funding will support the development of the Construction Ready Mobile Unit, which will increase CEFGA's capacity to serve residents across the metro Atlanta region.
We are actively recruiting for our Construction Training Program

In partnership with Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA), our four-week construction training program prepares individuals for employment in the construction industry. Covering soft and hard skills, Construction Ready at TCWFI equips participants with the fundamental tools, long term supports and access to jumpstart a career in construction.  Interested candidates can register  here.
 
This training is a partnership between The Center for Working Families, Inc. and CEFGA. It is made possible with the support of The Atlanta CareerRise, Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds provided by the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency and The Annie E. Casey Foundation.  
Do you know som eone looking to improve their Customer Service skills?
 
Photo: members of the first Generation Atlanta graduating class
Our training program, Generation Atlanta  helps young adults (ages 18 - 29) kickstart th eir career in the Customer Service field through a six-week, part-time program that will teach them the technical and behavior skills needed to excel in retail, hospitality and telecommunication s industries.

Generation is a program of McKinsey Social Initiative, a nonprofit founded by McKinsey & Company, that brings together the social, public, an d private sectors to implement innovative approaches to complex societal challenges. The training class is hosted at The Center for Working Families Monday through Friday. 

Our next class will start on June 27, 2016. For information about the program visit tcwfi.org or apply at generationinitiative.org/USA. 
CFED Fellowship 

Our President and CEO, Che D. Watkins was selected to take part in the Corporation for Enterprise Development's (CFED)  Platforms for Prosperity Integration Fellowship. Che will use lessons and tools gained through the Fellowship to help the Center renew our financial literacy and asset building program. The Fellowship is supported by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. 
Participant Spotlight: Antwone Lindsay

Meet Antwone Lindsay. Antwone is a transplant from New York, New York. Before moving to Atlanta, Lindsay earned an Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts from the Art Institute of New York City and his Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management from Monroe College. After graduating, Lindsay wanted a change of pace and decided to move to Atlanta to start his career. While working as a sous chef at a local restaurant, Lindsay grew an interest in owning his own catering business.
 
With limited management experience, Lindsay enrolled in our four-week Customer Service training program, Generation Atlanta .  In the class he developed skills in the areas of problem solving, cash-holding, and complaint de-escalation techniques, among other things. Our Workforce Coordinator recommended him for an employment opportunity with our Employer Partner, Levy Restaurants  working as a Banquet Supervisor. He was soon hired and began his journey with the company. "The training I received at the Center definitely paved the way for me to land a job in my field. Now that I'm at Levy, I am learning so much regarding business and customer needs on a large scale," Lindsay says.
 
The Center for Working Families team is excited to celebrate his success and we look forward to supporting his catering business in the future.  

To see more participant success stories, visit our  Facebook page