Jerrah Crowder – 91��Ƭ

NCC Welcomes New LISC Employees

Michelle Lang — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 14:13:48 +0000

91��Ƭ hosted dozens of new employees of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) June 12. The individuals from throughout the country learned about the services 91��Ƭ provides, its history and its relationship with LISC.
“NCC and LISC have been partners since the 1980s. They have supported us with tax credit investments for housing construction, consulting to strengthen the organization and funding our Financial Opportunity Center, to name a few,” said 91��Ƭ CEO Richard Rohrman. “They have been there for us and the relationship continues to grow. They are true reliable partners with a strong sense of mission.”
The visit was part of a three-day new hire orientation at LISC headquarters. The orientation is done two times per year, in the fall and spring. NCC hosted a group in November 2018 for the first time. The guests were served lunch at St. Joseph Plaza, NCC’s headquarters, and then took a tour of 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI), both the main campus and the Training Center.
“We are so grateful to NCC for sharing their amazing work and time with our new staff during their recent site visit to Newark. In partnership with LISC, NCC continues to provide clear pathways to change for community residents,” said LISC President and CEO Maurice A. Jones. “It was an excellent opportunity for LISC staff from across the country to see first hand the success of NCC’s comprehensive approach and a great time was had by all.”
NCCTI works closely with Greater Newark LISC, the local office of the national nonprofit organization that provides a variety of support to community development corporations. LISC provides funding and technical assistance for the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), a relationship that began in 2015. The FOC helps community members better their financial situations. LISC also offers financial support and technical assistance for the Bridges to Career Opportunities (BCO) program for NCCTI, which helps students learn basic skills as they relate to their field of choice. Both the FOC and BCO are LISC models.
“The success of NCCTI’s FOC, BCO and career and technical programs is directly related to our partnership with Greater Newark LISC,” said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. “In the last several years, we’ve been able to expand course offerings, build greater capacity to our career and technical programs and help hundreds of clients improve their financial standing.”
The positive work being done with students at NCCTI has drawn attention from LISC leadership members, who have toured the FOC and NCCTI Training Center and have been impressed with the services being offered to the unemployed and underemployed.
“As well accustomed to NCC as I am, visiting routinely to work with our partner as a Newark 2020 community hub and a LISC Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Center site, I learn something new and awe-inspiring every time,” said Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder.
91��Ƭ is happy to serve as a model for LISC employees.
“Our work with LISC is a true and practical example of what a solid partnership consists of,” Brutton said.
NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school. For more information, visit or call 973-824-6484.

Financial Opportunity Center Helps NCCTI Student Reach Financial Goals

Michelle Lang — Thu, 02 May 2019 20:48:18 +0000

When students sign up for classes at 91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI), they not only receive a high quality, hands-on education in their field of study, but they also have access to a variety of services. One of those very useful services is the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC). The FOC helps individuals achieve their financial goals while also providing them with knowledge about credit, budgets and savings plans.

Current Clinical Medical Assistant (CMA) student Ciara Cooper-Jones is taking full advantage of the FOC. She met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown and discussed her goals of financial stability and fixing her credit, which has been lowered by student loans she has from attending a college previously.

“You can’t do anything without credit,” Cooper-Jones said. “My biggest goal is to be financially set and stable enough to get a house of my own. Because I don’t want to always rent.”

At age 21, Cooper-Jones wants to start the process of increasing her credit score and saving for the future. She has enrolled in Twin Accounts, which is a dual benefit program. It helps clients build credit and save. The program lasts for 12 months and requires the participant to put $25 per month into a certificate of deposit (CD). Every time the payment is made on time, the participant receives a match of $25. This is reported as an installment payment and therefore helps build the participant’s credit.

So far, Cooper-Jones has made all her payments on time.

“At the end of the program my credit score can increase and along the way I’m learning more about financial savings and stability,” she said.

NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton said Cooper-Jones is taking advantage of the services available both from the FOC and the career and technical school.

“Ciara is a very forward thinking young lady who is not only committed to getting her professional career started, but she also knows the importance of establishing a long-term financial plan.”

Cooper-Jones and many others are able to take advantage of services offered by NCCTI and the FOC thanks, in part, to grant money. In March, 91��Ƭ received a three-year grant totaling $190,000 from Citi Foundation and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to provide services that help job seekers increase their incomes, improve their credit and raise their standards of living.

“91��Ƭ Financial Opportunity Center owes its appreciation and gratitude to the national and local LISC offices,” Brutton said. “Their technical assistance, program guidance and in-depth knowledge of operating an FOC has led to our success.”

In 2018, 72 FOC clients, most of whom were NCCTI students, saw an increase in their credit scores. Financial Coach Brown, Job Developer Joseph Jean and Income Support Specialist and 91��Ƭ Family Resource Success Center Director Joann Williams-Swiney work as a team to run the daily operations of the FOC. Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder has guided and assisted with the FOC to help ensure its success.

Cooper-Jones, who lives in Newark with her boyfriend and their son, has found the FOC to be very beneficial.

“This program has really given me a better understanding of the effects of credit,” she said. “I would recommend it to everybody, but mostly I would say an age group of 18 to 30 only because I know once you’re legal enough to sign your own papers and you don’t need a parent, most people do go open up credit cards because they want to shop. They’re not thinking of a long-term goal for themselves and then they’re going to be stuck when they get older because they messed up their credit at a young age.”

Cooper-Jones had been in college studying nursing but left the school because of the high expense. After completing the CMA program at NCCTI, she plans to work in a facility and climb the ranks and then return to school for an additional degree or certificate.

She is working on her financial future as well as her career by participating in the FOC. Brown said Cooper-Jones’ participation in the Twin Accounts program helps her to practice saving by having mandatory monthly payments, provides the opportunity to earn with the matching funds and will help raise her credit score.

“A low credit score can be a barrier to getting an apartment or a house,” Brown said. “Ciara doesn’t want to have to worry about a barrier.”

Cooper-Jones is glad she enrolled at NCCTI for the affordably priced CMA program and the assistance with her finances that she has received.

“I feel like everyone here at NCC has been a great help. They always come with welcome arms and they’re always willing to help,” Cooper-Jones said. “This program overall has been a great experience so far and I just can’t wait to see where it takes me.”

91��Ƭ Financial Opportunity Center is funded by Greater Newark LISC, with generous support from Citi Foundation and Capital One Bank. For more information about the FOC, contact Financial Coach Tamara Brown at 973-585-9648 or tamarabrown@newcommunity.org. The FOC is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

91��Ƭ Career and Technical Institute is an accredited post-secondary school that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. Those interested in enrolling should call 973-824-6484 or visit www.newcommunity.org. The school is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark, with the Training Center that houses Automotive, Diesel and Building Trades programs located at 210 West Bigelow St., Newark.

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center Becomes First Newark 2020 Hub

Michelle Lang — Fri, 25 May 2018 20:27:24 +0000

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center has become the first community hub of the Newark 2020 initiative, which aims to connect 2,020 Newark residents to employment that provides family sustainable wages by the end of 2020.

As a hub, 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is responsible for reaching out to individuals who signed up and submitted information through the Newark 2020 website, assessing their educational and professional backgrounds and connecting them to employment opportunities.

“We are serving as the liaison between Newark 2020 applicants and employers,” said 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center Director Rodney Brutton.

Another part of being a community hub is providing employability skills training, helping candidates with resumes, practicing interviews and offering assistance in preparation for employment opportunities.

“We’re happy to have been selected as a community hub,” Brutton said. “It’s exciting.”

Mayor Ras Baraka announced the Newark 2020 initiative last year. It has support from a number of city employers, including Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, PSE&G, Audible, Prudential, RWJBarnabas Health, NJIT, Rutgers-Newark, Panasonic, United Airlines and 91��Ƭ. The employers have agreed to hire a certain number of Newark residents.

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is in a good position to prepare applicants for jobs because as an accredited post-secondary career and technical school, it offers programs that help students receive certifications in their field of study.

“If a Newark 2020 applicant isn’t qualified for a job but is interested in training, we’ll be able to help them,” Brutton said.

Newark 2020 Project Director Travis Reid said 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center was chosen as the first community hub based on the results of a competitive bidding process and subsequent follow-up interviews with staff. Community hubs will help candidates develop resumes, provide best-in-practice case management to clients and facilitate effective matches between job seekers and employers.

“91��Ƭ’s existing infrastructure and deep experience in workforce development led to their number one ranking in a very competitive pool of respondents to our RFP,” Reid said.

Greater Newark LISC was part of the Newark 2020 selection and onboarding process for 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center as a community hub. Its funding is providing for the start of Newark 2020 operations there. The organization also provides funding and technical support for 91��Ƭ’s Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities program.

“Greater Newark LISC is proud to have served as a partner in the Newark 2020 initiative since its inception, and we are especially pleased to be a part of the launch alongside the LISC Bridges to Careers Opportunity work at 91��Ƭ, all in alignment with the living wage employment landscape efforts here in Newark,” said Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder.

Newark 2020 applicants came to 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center May 14 for an orientation. They got to hear more about the initiative from Reid and Brutton and met with Hub Representative Aziza Johnson and Program Assistant Quameria Edwards.

While Reid explained that employers are not required to grant interviews, those looking for employment at companies that have committed to Newark 2020 are better positioned to yield opportunities.

“Newark 2020 strategically leverages employer commitments to hiring locally to benefit the city’s labor force,” Reid said. “Community hubs are critically important because they help facilitate matches that mutually benefit job seekers and employers.”

Newark 2020 is open to all Newark residents, regardless of employment level. At the orientation, participants had a variety of career interests, including customer service, health care, communications, building maintenance and human resources.

Those interested in participating in Newark 2020 should visit and register. For more information about 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center and its course offerings, or call 973-824-6484.

Workforce Development Center Awarded $225,000 Multi-Year Grant

Michelle Lang — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 15:16:54 +0000

Lead Academic Enrichment Instructor Odette Phillip, standing, helps students with their work.

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center has been awarded a three-year grant totaling $225,000 to provide academic literacy support and vocation training services related to its occupational training programs.

The annual $75,000 grant comes from LISC’s Family Income and Wealth Building program and is meant to help 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center align with LISC’s Bridges to Career Opportunities model. The model includes a period of “contextualized bridge training,” which means the instruction focuses on industry-relevant material. An example would be teaching fractions through the lens of measurements that are needed in the field of construction. The goal is to teach the academic skills in a way that more readily prepares students for their future careers.

“Ultimately, we’re going to blend vocational services, academic support and financial coaching to enhance the social and financial status of area job seekers,” said 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Director Rodney Brutton.

Workforce will use the funding to operate a Bridges to Career program with outreach and recruitment, direct classroom instruction, vocational training, financial services and career services, including job placement assistance.

“This is an outgrowth of our Financial Opportunity Center and Academic Enrichment Program by combining those two initiatives,” Brutton said.

There are no residency requirements for the program, but participants must be at least 18 years old.

“This work is supported by our local Greater Newark LISC office under the direction of Rhonda Lewis, executive director, and Jerrah Crowder, program officer,” Brutton said. “Both Rhonda and Jerrah understand the importance of combining contextualized learning with occupational skills and financial coaching and how that leads to a more well-rounded job seeker.”

91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school offering the following programs: Automotive Technician, Patient Care Technician (Certified Home Health Aide, EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician), Clinical Medical Assistant (EKG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician, Medical Office Administration, Medical Billing/Coding), Culinary Arts Specialist, and Building Trades Specialist (Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing, Flooring, Painting). All programs offer industry recognized credentials. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

For more information about the school, call 973-824-6484. To complete an application online, .

The mission of 91��Ƭ Workforce Development Center is to improve the quality of life of all students through education and occupational training in a community that fosters life-long learning.