Lyft and BETTER WORK Unite

by Kimberly Sawatka | Apr 10, 2023

Lyft and BETTER WORK Unite

Key Points

Transportation is a barrier for some when it comes to maintaining employment.
Lyft saw a need in the community and stepped in to fill the gap.
Lyft’s free rides have assisted BETTER WORK participants and given them time to make a plan.

“You’re hired!” Those two words can completely change someone’s life. But for someone who doesn’t have transportation, those two words can be heartbreaking.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lyft recognized widespread job loss created significant transportation needs for many, so they responded by partnering with nonprofit organizations across the United States to give away free rides to those in need. The company has pledged to provide 60 million free rides to help people get to vaccination appointments, job interviews, and other important destinations. The program is also aimed at reducing social isolation and improving quality of life for those in need.

The initiative is aimed specifically at addressing the transportation barriers faced by low-income individuals, seniors, and people with disabilities. As we know, lack of access to transportation is a major barrier to economic and social mobility. Many people are unable to access basic services such as healthcare, education, and employment due to transportation issues.

And, in case you aren’t familiar with Lyft, it is a ride-sharing company that has made a name for itself in the transportation industry by providing rides to people all over the world.

Lyft and BETTER WORK work together

Lyft’s community project is focused on giving back to those in need by providing them with free rides. The company has partnered with various non-profit organizations—including United Way, National Urban League, and Goodwill—to identify individuals who are most in need of free rides. It’s through BETTER WORK’S close partnership with United Way we are able to directly access Lyft’s free ride initiative for BETTER WORK participants to utilize the service to attend job interviews and two weeks worth of transportation to and from work. (The idea is to allow participants the opportunity to receive a first paycheck and work out a transportation plan.)

The project has been met with widespread praise from both the public and nonprofit organizations. Many people have expressed their gratitude for the free rides, which have allowed them to access essential services and maintain their livelihoods during this challenging time.

A current BETTER WORK participant has utilized the codes to help supplement his unreliable transportation to and from work. This has allowed him to take a position learning a new trade, but also save for his own transportation and create a plan for the future.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity believes in the dignity and purpose that work can bring to those in our community.

Why this partnership is making a difference

One of the greatest attributes of the BETTER WORK program is that it looks at the whole person and identifies hurdles keeping people from taking advantage of opportunities to become self-sufficient. It’s our goal to help our neighbors understand the community programs and resources available, so they can make the best choices for themselves and move forward.

One of the key benefits of the Lyft project is that it helps to bridge the transportation gap that exists in many communities like Columbus. People who do not have access to reliable transportation often struggle to access essential services, which can perpetuate cycles of poverty and disadvantage. By providing free rides, Lyft is helping to break down these barriers and provide a lifeline to those in need.

The project is also an example of how the private sector can play a role in addressing social issues. Lyft has recognized the need in the community and has responded by leveraging its resources to make a positive impact. This is a great example of how companies can use their power for good and make a real difference in people’s lives.

Two Columbus-based organizations offering FREE work-training program

by Kimberly Sawatka | Jan 27, 2023

Two Columbus-based organizations offering FREE work-training program

Better Work Columbus and Asbury United Methodist Church are working together for the second year to offer free classes designed to remove the barriers that keep many people in Columbus without a job.

“This is about bringing resources into the communities where they’re needed to meet people where they are instead of making people have to go out into the community,” says Better Work Columbus Program Manager Kristin Barker.

Jobs for Life is a free 11-week program for people who are looking to find a job and keep a good job. Classes will be offered at Asbury United Methodist Church starting March 7. Applications are open right now until Friday, February 17.

“They are learning about how to search for jobs themselves, they are working on their resumes, and their vocational plans and their goals, and learning about themselves”

Barker says students who go through the program build their own identity and a newfound value in themselves.

Read the full article here

Q&A with Amber Gorman at BETTER WORK Columbus

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Dec 6, 2022

Q&A with Amber Gorman at BETTER WORK Columbus

Amber Gorman joined the BETTER WORK Columbus team in October, 2022 as a program specialist. We recently had a chance to sit down with her and hear more about her background, what brought her to BETTER WORK, and why she is passionate about helping people who are struggling find meaningful, self-supporting work.

Q: Please tell us a little about yourself.

I come from generational poverty. I grew up very poor. I also struggled with addiction for a couple of years, but I’m now five years clean, which is great. God brought me out of that and He has also brought me out of poverty through employment and networking. Now, I have social capital which I didn’t used to have. I also have a better view of myself now than I used to. I thought that was just my life and that it wasn’t ever going to get any better. Then I got tired of living like that and I was like, “I’m going to do something different.” And I did whatever it took. It was a lot of work.

I have a criminal background as well. Looking at me on paper, most people wouldn’t hire me, but they bring me in for an interview. Then, they hear my story and they’re like, “Oh, wow! I want to give you a chance.” I’ve never been not hired because of my background, which is great in the position that I’m currently in.

A lot of the candidates that I work with at BETTER WORK Columbus deal with a lot of what I’ve already been through and overcome, so I can take my life experiences and bring that to them and help them come through that. That’s kind of me in a nutshell. As far as work experience, I feel like I’ve done it all. I’ve done it all like resorts, chicken plants, textile mills, and retail. I’ve done it all.

Q: What brought you to BETTER WORK Columbus?

I’m not from Columbus. I’m actually from Northeast Georgia, a little bitty, small town in White County. My husband and I moved down here. There just weren’t a lot of opportunities up there and he had a network down here. So, about a year after we got married, we moved down here, and then I didn’t work for a while, and then I started going back to work. It was just kind of part-time, just to kind of get out of the house.

We got involved with Fountain City Church in Columbus. Pastor Grant Collins is amazing. We love him. Before we became members, I asked him, “What’s your ministry? Who do you partner with? How are you trying to reach the community?” He told me that Jobs for Life is what they partnered with. And at the time I wasn’t working and I was like, “Oh well, I don’t know if that’s something that I would be interested in because I don’t even have a job.”

That’s when I met Kristin Barker. She was holding a Jobs for Life luncheon for employer partners at the church. I didn’t know that’s what it was. My pastor asked me to help volunteer serving food, and so I went and I got to sit through the presentation and it touched me because we didn’t have that where I was from and I had to do all of it on my own — like build my own connections and make myself more marketable to employers.

So many people need that and it gives you such an advantage in the work market place. And so after that, I was like, “I have to be a part of this.” You know, I have to and so a little bit later, Pastor Grant comes back. He asked me, ” Hey, do you want to be a facilitator for Jobs for Life?” I was hesitant. I got all nervous and I was like, “I don’t know. I don’t know if I can do it”. He said that he thinks I’d be great and so I said yes.

Kristin and I worked closely together for 13 weeks. And then the job posting came up with BETTER WORK Columbus, and she was like, ” I think you should apply for it.” I was a little worried because I didn’t have a degree or this or that and there’s my criminal background but she knew all of that. She’s heard my story and she still encouraged me to apply. And I was like, ” You know what, if God wants me to have it, then I’ll have it. ” And so I did and I applied and went through the interview process, and here I am.

Q: What’s your role at BETTER WORK?

I’m the program specialist for BETTER WORK Columbus. I’m the point of contact for candidates and am working on becoming the point of contact for employers as well. When candidates put in their applications — whether it’s for employment, training, or mentorship — I speak with them. We kind of figure out what it is exactly that they need, and what’s going to be a good fit for them. I help pair them with resources in the community as well as job opportunities. Or, if they’re interested in mentoring or having a mentor, then I partner them with that mentor as well and kind of foster that relationship.

“What really touches my heart is being able to help those people who are maybe underemployed or have just been out of the workforce for a while or moms that are trying to come into the workforce and being able to connect with those opportunities.”

Q: What are some of your favorite aspects of BETTER WORK’s mission?

Our positive relationship with employers is my favorite part. In Columbus there are around 300 applicants for every open job. It’s a tough environment. But with BETTER WORK, we have those relationships so we can kind of help the candidates get a foot in the door. What we’re doing though is we’re targeting people who are in poverty.

We don’t turn anybody away. I have people who come to me with Bachelor’s Degrees that’s just relocated and it’s great to be able to help them to gain employment, too. But what really touches my heart is being able to help those people who are maybe underemployed or have just been out of the workforce for a while or moms that are trying to come into the workforce and being able to connect with those opportunities. A lot of them are on government programs. Eventually, the goal is to be self-sufficient and connect them with opportunities where they can work.

It’s not just a job. It’s something that’s supposed to be long-term where they can grow. They can learn more about themselves. They learn more about the workforce and they can move up in the industry. I love being able to give those opportunities to people that want them.

Q: What are some of the things that motivate you, personally, in your work?

My hope for the future of BETTER WORK is that I want us to become the go-to place for job applicants and employers. Applicants can feel confident that we’re going to be able to place them somewhere. Employers are going to be confident that we’re going to send them people that are going to be there till they retire, and they’re going to be wonderful employees. Also, it could also reduce unemployment rates and things like that. I really want to create a childcare program. That’s what I want to do.

BETTER WORK Columbus hosting job fair for MCSD parents

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Oct 26, 2022

BETTER WORK Columbus hosting job fair for MCSD parents

BETTER WORK Columbus will host a job fair on Thursday, Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for parents of children in the Muscogee County School District (MCSD). It will take place at Victory Mission at 3448 North Lumpkin Road in Columbus, according to an MCSD press release.

There will be on-the-spot interviews, access to community-based resources, giveaways, food box distributions, work clothing and employment workshops on resume building, interviewing, budgeting and more. Registration is recommended to reserve seats for the workshops.

Read the full article here

Eddie’s story: Moving from homelessness to a housing and a stable job

by David Bass | Oct 20, 2022

Eddie’s story: Moving from homelessness to a housing and a stable job

Key Points

Eddie was homeless and living on the streets.
With a home secured, Eddie’s next step was to find more permanent work
Eddie is excited and proud to have taken steps toward building the life he wants.

“I look forward to moving on up.”

That’s how Eddie Craig describes his current career aspirations. He has light in his eyes and hope in his heart, now that he has a steady job and a place to call home. But life wasn’t always so good for Eddie.

Eddie spent nearly five years on the street, homeless and working odd jobs. He earned money by raking and mowing yards, but it wasn’t enough to pay for a place to live. Every night, he slept in his car.

Then, he came to Home For Good, where he got in touch with an advocate named Ms. Terry. One morning, Ms. Terry located his car, where she woke him and introduced herself.

“I heard her tap on the car window one morning. To be honest with you, I thought it was the police, because they were white,” Eddie says. “But I stepped out of the car and found out her name was Ms. Terry. She got my name and everything.”

For about a month, Ms. Terry worked with Eddie to find affordable housing.

“The next thing I knew, she was calling me to tell me I had my own place,” he says. “We went over there and checked it out. I didn’t care what it looked like. She said, ‘You like it?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I like it, no problem.’”

With his housing secure, Eddie’s next step was to find more permanent work. That’s where BETTER WORK Columbus stepped in. Eddie attended a job fair hosted by BETTER WORK. Eddie met Kristin, who went on to help him complete his hiring paperwork and get his questions answered.

“Between BETTER WORK and Home For Good, getting Eddie into housing and a steady job was a team effort,” Kristin says.

Unfortunately, once Eddie was hired at his first job through BETTER WORK, reliable transportation proved to be an obstacle. His employer changed his schedule to another shift, and he couldn’t get to work. Still, he was determined to find another job, so he reached back out to BETTER WORK for help any time he encountered a roadblock.

“He succeeded because he didn’t give up,” Kristin says.

Fortunately, Eddie was able to get connected at a new job with the Marriott Hotel, where he’s happily employed and thriving. Since Eddie doesn’t have a formal education, Kristin and Ms. Terry helped him complete and submit his application paperwork. Along the way, he also got help obtaining the identifying documentation he needed to get hired — items such as his birth certificate, ID, and Social Security card.

“I had to start from the bottom,” he says.

Eddie credits Kristin for the job and Ms. Terry for his escape from homelessness.

“Thank God for BETTER WORK,” says Eddie. “I’m a living witness this has helped me.”

“Thank God for BETTER WORK,” says Eddie. “I’m a living witness this has helped me.”

Eddie’s success story at BETTER WORK is largely attributed to the fact that he had a genuine desire to earn an honest living for himself. He knew others in the homeless community who didn’t share his drive, but he was determined to build a better future for himself.

“I consider myself physically healthy and mentally healthy,” he says. “As far as a paycheck, everybody loves a paycheck.”

For others like Eddie who are looking for a steady job, he offers reassurance that the team at BETTER WORK will take their interests and strengths into consideration during the job search process.

“BETTER WORK is going to help you find what you love to do,” he says. “It won’t just be digging ditches — unless you like digging ditches.”

Ultimately, Eddie is excited and proud to have taken steps toward building the life he wants. And BETTER WORK is proud to have played a part in his story.

“It’s just good to be in the workforce,” he says.

Roadblocks to work make the world a sticky place

by Kristin Baker | Jul 14, 2022

Man on steps holding sign that reads jobless, will work for mortgage

Roadblocks to work make the world a sticky place

Key Points

The hindrances to people finding work goes far beyond an unwillingness or inability to work.

Those looking for work face many barriers that range from circumstantial to systemic and even policy roadblocks.

It is important that we understand the roadblocks faced by those looking for work so that we can properly address them as we move people into work opportunities.

A story about work barriers

I met a gentleman earlier this year (we’ll call him Lenny) who stated that “he just wants to work”. His basic needs are being met, at least for now, but he can’t stand the idea that he isn’t able to contribute. While talking to Lenny and hearing his story, I realized just how many physical roadblocks he has to overcome in order to start a job, show up at a job site every single day to do the work, and get a paycheck. There are basic requirements, the things that most people take for granted as necessary and easy, that create huge barriers for Lenny.

I will share a few of these physical roadblocks below that Better Work is addressing as we work with Lenny.

Joyelle wasn’t looking for a handout, she was looking for an opportunity to provide and support her family.

Transportation

This is one of the first barriers Lenny has to consider that impacts his ability to work. His main mode of transportation is walking. He walks to shop. He walks to appointments. He walks to work when he can. Lenny will also take the bus if it is available when and where he needs to go. He has no other options for transportation.

This means that Lenny can’t work in positions that start before the bus can get him there or end after the bus stops running (currently at 8:30pm) unless that business is close enough for him to walk. He also can’t accept jobs that require him to work on Sundays because no public transportation is currently available then.

Inconsistent Work

The transportation challenges described above have caused Lenny to leave a position he worked in faithfully for 2.5 months to look for another. A change in scheduling meant he was no longer able to stay in this job. This can lead to job hopping and means Lenny is unable to get the traction he needs to set goals, get raises, and improve his current situation.

Technology

Lenny has never really used computers as most of his past work has been in jobs requiring physical labor. He has a phone and recently set up an email address but doesn’t really understand how to check it or communicate that way. This creates additional limitations in a world that more often than not requires communication via technology at every level and for any occupation.

Applications and Hiring Paperwork

Most job applications are online as well as the forms that must be completed during hiring. All of this is necessary. How else will hiring managers collect the information they need to pay you and to protect your data. These online requirements can become a roadblock for someone like Lenny.

Lenny is not so very different from others I talk to on a weekly basis. He is actually in a better position than some. Fortunately, Lenny has an ID. Many don’t. Lenny doesn’t have children at home. Many do.

Society is quick to judge people who are not working. We are quick to label them as lazy. I ask you to consider what you would do if you were in Lenny’s place. The barriers mentioned above are just a drop in the bucket for people who find themselves caught in a vicious cycle of need.

Meanwhile, Lenny continues to fight for what is important to him – the dignity of work!

Better Work Columbus will continue to fight alongside Lenny and support others like him. I urge you to be slow to judge, wary of pointing fingers, and quick to show encouragement.