Greater Newark LISC Deputy Director Judith Thompson-Morris explained that LISC is expanding its programs to other parts of the state, starting with the FOC. The organization has plans to create FOCs in Camden, Elizabeth, Perth Amboy and Trenton.

The initiative has been in process for about two years and is now close to kickoff. The visit to 91心頭���s FOC was an opportunity to show partners how the program works in a practical way.

���You can explain what the FOC model is, but we thought it would be helpful for them to see and hear from the partners in the Newark footprint who have been doing this work for a while,��� Thompson-Morris said.

While all LISC FOCs follow a particular framework, Thompson-Morris explained that each site has unique aspects to match the partner���s work in the neighborhood. For example, 91心頭���s FOC is tied to its career and technical education program at NCCTI, a service not every FOC partner offers.

NCCTI Director Dr. Sylvia McCray welcomed the visitors on June 27 and provided an overview of how the FOC operates. Then Financial Coach Tamara Brown went into greater detail about how she works with clients and answered the participants��� questions.

91心頭 Chief Operating Officer Fred Hunter was also on hand to greet the guests and provide a brief explanation of NCC as a whole.

���The LISC partner site visit presented a wonderful opportunity for the staff at NCCTI to discuss the FOC program. FOC staff provided a robust discussion that included outreach activities, program enrollment, measuring success and the future vision,��� Hunter said. ���The success of the FOC program can be measured by the clients��� increased knowledge of their financial potential. Positive outcomes include improvements in job placement due to job coaching sessions, improved personal credit scores and financial plans that increase clients��� net value.���

McCray was happy to host the agency representatives.

���It was a good opportunity to meet other partners who are also committed to working with the community in understanding financial health, stability, growth and wealth legacy building for their future generations,��� McCray said. ���I look forward to our continued collaboration with not only LISC but its partners across New Jersey and the United States.���

Brown believes increasing the number of FOCs in the state is positive for residents, particularly those with limited financial resources.

���Access to having a financial coach is an important resource for low-income and moderate-income families,��� she said. ���In the past, a lot of wealth-building information was only available to the rich and the very few. The prospect of adding more Financial Opportunity Centers means more access to financial education and wealth-building services for everyday people.���

Four groups that will be launching FOCs participated in the event, both in-person and virtually: Center for Family Services in Camden, Isles Inc. in Trenton, Union County Department of Human Services in Elizabeth and United Way of Central Jersey in Milltown which will operate the Perth Amboy FOC.

Thompson-Morris said the Perth Amboy location will likely be the first new site since Congressman Frank Pallone secured funds in a federal bill for that FOC location. It could become operational in the fall.

There are currently three LISC FOCs in Newark: at 91心頭, Ironbound Community Corporation and Urban League of Essex County.

Since 1986, Greater Newark LISC has collaborated with community-based organizations in Newark and the surrounding region to improve the quality of life for residents and shopkeepers.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business & Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

LISC Greater Newark describes the Lifetime Achievement Award as an honor that ���recognizes an individual for significant contributions to community development and neighborhood revitalization over the span of an entire career.���

91心頭 Board Chairman Dr. A. Zachary Yamba presented Rohrman with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event.

���Rich���s life���s work is intertwined with 91心頭. He has been part of the movement. He stayed the course. He���s been faithful. And his leadership is indelibly imprinted in all of us,��� Yamba said. ���We are thrilled that LISC chose to honor him.���

91心頭 Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Mbakaya echoed that sentiment.

���We are so happy to see Rich���s hard work and dedication to the community recognized by LISC in this way,��� she said.

Victoria Foundation Co-Executive Officer Craig Drinkard served as the chair of the 2022 LISC Greater Newark Local Advisory Committee and spoke about the Lifetime Achievement Award honorees. He said he considers Rohrman a friend.

���Sir, you taught me how to block out the outside noise and stay focused on your mission. You were steadfast and you said, ���I know what I need to do. I need to block out the noise to get us where we need to go.��� And you did it,��� Drinkard said. ���The next leader that comes into this organization is poised to take it into the 22nd century because of your leadership.���

When Rohrman accepted his award, he spoke fondly about his time at 91心頭.

���It���s been a really rewarding 26 years here at 91心頭, working in community development. It���s enriched my life more than I can really say. It���s been an experience for me that really has formed my thoughts and formed my life and I wouldn���t give it up for anything. It���s been a terrific experience,��� he said. ���It���s really been an honor working here and working with the dedicated staff at 91心頭.���

Rohrman also acknowledged the other recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, thanking them for their work and saying he learned from each of them.

The three others who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the event also recently retired from their leadership roles. The honorees were Wayne Meyer, former President of New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC); Raymond Ocasio, former Executive Director of La Casa de Don Pedro; and Joseph Della Fave, former Executive Director of Ironbound Community Corporation.

���It���s really a terrific group of dedicated people that are receiving these honors,��� Rohrman said.

LISC Greater Newark Executive Director Jorge Cruz explained the organization���s goals for the event.

���Our focus is really centered on building on local, equitable ecosystems and particularly ecosystems that are working towards equity for all,��� he said. ���We are recognizing those honorees who, from our standpoint, are the best of the best when it comes to ecosystem builders.���

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Awards, LISC Greater Newark also presented the Transformative Project Award to Avi Teylas of Makerhoods, the Exemplary Private Partner Award to Tomas Porturas of Wells Fargo Bank and the Rhonda A. Lewis Community Inspirational Advocate Award to Kaleena Berryman. The event also included a tribute to Rhonda A. Lewis, who served as the Executive Director of LISC Greater Newark before her passing in 2020.

So far in 2020, the FOC helped 80 clients achieve credit score increases and assisted with over 40 job placements, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

���NCCTI���s work extends beyond providing quality training services and connecting students to good careers. It also entails sharing valuable tools and educational services to help them make wise financial decisions,��� said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton.��

Kaitlin Brant is one graduate who benefited from NCCTI���s offerings. She enrolled in the Patient Care Technician program, which she completed in 2019, and took advantage of the financial education the FOC provides.

Financial Coach Tamara Brown gave a presentation in Brant���s class about what credit is and how to boost your score. During the presentation, Brown mentioned the LISC Twin Accounts, which is a credit-building tool for low- to moderate-income individuals. Participants receive a $300 loan which is put in a locked savings account until the loan is paid off. Participants must make 12 on-time monthly payments, which are matched, so at the end of the 12-month period, they have a total of $600 and an increased credit score since they have a year���s worth of on-time payments.

Brant was eligible for the LISC Twin Accounts and successfully participated in the program. She has seen her credit score increase with her participation and also from paying off her student loans.

���I was able to boost my credit from fair to good. And this is starting off with me not even knowing what credit was,��� Brant said.

In addition to the LISC Twin Accounts, Brown offers other tools to her FOC clients. She holds educational workshops, which are now virtual because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. She shares resources about how to dispute incorrect information on credit reports and talks with clients about their financial goals and how to achieve them. The FOC also helps with job placement so clients can obtain higher-paying positions.

After graduating from NCCTI, Brant was hired at St. Joseph���s University Medical Center in Paterson as a Patient Care Assistant. She was previously working at Checkers Restaurant and received a significant hourly wage increase when she switched jobs. That along with an increased credit score helped Brant to move to a nicer apartment.

���Kaitlin was steadfast in her commitment to improve her credit. Her hard work paid off when she was able to access better housing,��� Brown said. ���Kaitlin is a pleasure to work with and the skills she learned will continue to open doors for her in the future.���

NCCTI also provides the Bridges to Career Opportunities program with support from LISC, which includes a period of ���contextualized bridge training.��� The instruction focuses on industry-relevant material to teach and reinforce academic skills in a way that more readily prepares students for their future careers. Brant and her classmates participated in the program by learning computer skills specifically for health care workers.

Brant is grateful for everything she has learned from NCCTI.

���The knowledge that Ms. Tamara gave us, teaching us about credit and financial literacy, plus the education that the school provided for us, that together is enough to help us thrive and move up another step within the world,��� she said.

Brant plans to share the knowledge she has learned with others, including her young daughter.

���I have a lot of friends who really don���t understand credit because they don���t really teach it in school,��� she said. ���With the knowledge that I have, I just want to move forward with it, learn more about it and spread it to anybody who doesn���t know about it.���

In addition to the FOC, Brant also utilized the services of the Family Resource Success Center while enrolled at NCCTI, including free tax preparation and other benefits that she was eligible for.

���The school helped in every way possible and I really appreciate them for that,��� Brant said. ���I would really urge and suggest students take advantage of the opportunities.���

Brant recommends NCCTI, saying the programs are short-term, graduates often launch a successful career and students can improve their financial standing.

���Kaitlin is one of many who benefited from our Financial Opportunity Center,��� Brutton said. ���We thank our funding partners: Greater Newark LISC local office, LISC national office, Citi Foundation and Capital One Bank. NCC���s success is directly related to their confidence in our work.���

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto newcommunitytech.edu or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

Reese has been interested in the medical field since she was a young girl. Her grandmother was diabetic and she would help her. When her grandmother went to a nursing home, she would visit often, helping her and interacting with the other residents. She said she also became interested in the medical field because her father���s side of the family has heart issues, including her father who had a bad heart condition at the time of his death.

���I always wanted to work at a hospital because I wanted to help people,��� Reese said. ���When I was a little girl, I used to play with my dolls. I would sit them all around and pretend that I was their doctor.���

So when she graduated high school, after attending both West Side High School in Newark and Irvington High School, Reese researched area nursing programs and came across NCCTI. She was still 17 when she graduated, so she waited until her 18th birthday last October and filled out an application. Because NCCTI offers open enrollment, she was able to start class in February and graduated in August.

Reese has overcome some challenges. She has a 3-year-old son to support and has experienced homelessness. But that didn���t stop her from following her dream of working in a hospital.

���Denayah Reese is one of our shining stars. We are pleased to consider her as one of our successful graduates and alumni,��� said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. ���We welcome recent high school graduates who are looking for a valuable education option other than college and Denayah is a young lady that epitomizes who we���re looking to enroll in our school.���

Reese credits NCCTI with preparing her for the working world and helping her find employment. Her main course instructor was Maha Koltowski, who she said was extremely helpful and accommodating.

���I never had a teacher as good as Dr. Maha. I had some good teachers, but she was a great teacher,��� Reese said. ���Dr. Maha was willing to stay late so we could make up our hours, catch up on things we may not understand, if we wanted to go to the laboratory. She was willing to do it.���

Koltowski said Reese was a model student, taking copious notes and sharing them with her classmates, paying attention to demonstrations and volunteering to try procedures first. She sees a bright future for Reese.

���She was one of the best students,��� Koltowski said of Reese. ���I expect her to be an RN one day. And I���m encouraging her to complete her studies.���

In addition to the knowledge Reese gained from the program, NCCTI helped her in other ways as well. She received a voucher for Career Closet to obtain professional attire to wear on her interview from Joann Williams-Swiney, NCCTI Income Support Specialist and Director of the Family Resource Success Center. Brutton connected Reese and her classmates to human resources personnel at a number of area hospitals and then followed up on the status of their applications once they applied. Reese also met with Financial Coach Tamara Brown in the Financial Opportunity Center and plans to return for additional guidance in a few months.

���The whole experience was great. Everybody was nice and welcoming. I felt comfortable with everybody. I could come to anybody in any situation regardless of if it was about school or anything else. They were there to help,��� Reese said. ���I���ve never been to a school where they care about you this much.���

Reese recommends NCCTI to others. She knows three current PCT students that she referred.

���I made sure that I advertised it in a positive way because the school has benefited me in a great way,��� she said.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto newcommunitytech.edu or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

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心頭 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心頭 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心頭 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心頭 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心頭 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心頭 hosted a group of about 60 new employees of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Nov. 7. The employees, who were from various parts of the country, got an overview of what NCC offers during a luncheon at St. Joseph Plaza, 233 West Market St., Newark. They then toured 91心頭 Workforce Development Center main campus at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark, to see the facility and hear about its work with the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) and with the Bridges to Career Opportunities (BCO) programs that LISC helps fund. Finally, they got to see the Automotive Training Center, 210 West Bigelow St., Newark, and learn more about the Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician and Building Trades Specialist programs offered.

91心頭 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心頭 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心頭 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心頭 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心頭 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.