11/06/08

Pooled resources will help displaced workers

As the local economy continues to slide downward and more workers face layoffs, private and public organizations have formed a partnership to simplify the “unemployment maze” and offer new resources for businesses and their employees.

A public informational meeting to launch the program, entitled Help for Hard Times, is planned for Wednesday, November 12, at 10 a.m. in the Weyerhaeuser Room at the Everett Transit Station.

Sue Ambler, president and CEO of Snohomish County’s Workforce Development Council, explained, “We knew this [higher unemployment] was coming and that we needed to pull together to see how we could best ease the pain. The partnership is looking at all the ways we can help people during challenging times by pooling our resources.”

The project’s centerpiece is a new Web portal, www.helpforhardtimes.org, that provides links to all available resources from one access point. The Web site makes it easier to file for unemployment, apply for food benefits, request rent or medical assistance, and find job training opportunities.

“When you’re facing the loss of a job, you have enough to deal with,” said Carl Zapora, president and CEO of United Way Snohomish County. “We realized there was no single Web site that could help navigate someone through all the different agencies that offer resources.”

The new online portal, according to Zapora, is like “a gift basket for people who are out of work, with each [agency] donating an item to the basket.”

Help for Hard Times is sponsored by The Boeing Company, EverTrust Foundation, United Way of Snohomish County and Workforce Development Council of Snohomish County. Participating partners include Cascadia Community College, the Center for Career Alternatives, the state Department of Social and Health Services, Edmonds Community College, Washington State Employment Security Department, Everett Community College, the Salvation Army, Snohomish County Human Services, United Way of Snohomish County, Volunteers of America Western Washington, North Sound 2-1-1, and WorkSource Snohomish County.

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