Family Worker for residents of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood of southwest Grand Rapids (and surrounding area); link families from neighborhood with Christian mentors or appropriate referrals to help with employment, nutrition, translation, interpretation, legal help, medical attention, and spiritual needs. Also provides referrals in areas such as housing assistance and immigration assistance. Also provides support to our English as a Second Language program. The Family Worker serves the residents of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood and the surrounding area.
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“C” came for the first time in February, 2018, in search of information for GED classes. I referred him to a place where he could attend. After meeting him, as part of my job, I asked him if he had any other needs that I could help him with and he said yes! He said he was currently unemployed and going through a very bad economic crisis. I offered to create a work resume and so we could start looking for options according to what he wanted and that’s how it was. After visiting me for a few days in the office, we prepared his work resume and we went to a community job fair. We were able to obtain a job opportunity in his area of expertise. Now “C” comes for help and support in personal cases. For example “C” has understood after his divorce how important it is to pay child support to avoid getting into future problems. “C” did not understand very well the letters he received and ignored them thinking that they would not bring major consequences.
I also taught him how to use the email so that he could send us photos/copies of any document that the do not understand or anything that he needs help with. He is happy in his new job and is always looking for new opportunities to learn new things. He is responsible in his current new job and he plans to move on and get expertise. He also filled his income tax thru our VITA tax program since he was not able to pay at his current situation.
by Steve Drewry
