EARN-ing
a life back

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

Simone Woods and Lisa Lewis are taking full advantage of the Northeast EARN Center’s community service program.
Woods and Lewis are single moms who are clients at EARN, an acronym for Employment Advancement Retention Network. The office is located at 4739 Frankford Ave. (near Foulkrod Street).
The agency, which opened in November 2006, seeks to find work for people. Its under the operation of JEVS Human Services, a business-oriented non-profit social-services organization. Funding is provided by the state Department of Public Welfare.
The center is an employment service for people, mostly women, who are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) from the state. Clients learn how to develop a resumé, search for jobs on the Internet and dress for interviews. They generally take entry-level jobs in various fields that pay above the minimum wage of $7.15 an hour.
To help their clients transition back into the work force, the EARN staff finds volunteer opportunities for them at local schools, day-care facilities, senior citizen centers and non-profit organizations. For Woods and Lewis, their assignment is to assist at the district office of state Rep. Tony Payton (D-179th dist.).
Woods, a 31-year-old mother of two from Fox Chase who is looking to re-enter the business world, has helped the lawmaker by researching information on gun violence.
"It’s a world of opportunity," she said of the volunteer position.
Lewis, a 42-year-old mother of five from Frankford, recently lost her job as a clerical assistant. At Payton’s office, located at 4915 Frankford Ave., she has learned computer skills and performed constituent service duties.
"It’s a job I’m providing, and I can use it on my resumé," she said.
Dan Lodise, Payton’s chief of staff, explained that 15 EARN clients have worked at the office. They learn to use Internet search engines, draft responses to organizations asking for Payton’s position on legislation, revise their resumés and look on the Craigslist online site for job leads.
"They’re a real help to the office," said Lodise, adding that his staff has helped three women apply to be students at Community College of Philadelphia.
Allison David, executive director of the JEVS Workforce Initiative, said the volunteer opportunities help individuals who are going back to work and those who have a lack of work experience.
"It’s a short-term thing to gain valuable work skills to get into the paid work force," she said.
Jerry Tapley, director of employment services at the EARN Center, said employers respect the work done by the volunteers.
"This is treated as a job," he said. "They’re doing work as a community service." ••
For more information, call 267-350-8500 or visit www.jevshumanservices.org