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Family & Children’s Association to Provide Mentoring and Job Placement Services to Disadvantaged Residents of Long Beach

Written by Long Island News & PR  |  11. May 2016

Long Beach, NY - May 10, 2016 - In a continuing effort to provide economic empowerment to its most disadvantaged millennial residents, the City of Long Beach will be partnering with Family & Children’s Association (FCA) to offer a comprehensive training program for young adults in Long Beach. The program is designed to help residents between the ages of 16 and 24 get on their feet by providing career coaching and job placement services with the creation of the program, Long Beach Ladders to Success.

Long Beach Ladders to Success will be administered by FCA, an organization that has spent over 130 years protecting and strengthening Long Island’s most vulnerable communities by offering assistance to those who are experiencing social, emotional, and economic challenges. The grant supporting this program was made possible through the generosity of Long Beach native Billy Crystal and his wife Janice. The funds are being allocated specifically to provide Long Beach’s young adults with the skills they need to enter the workforce.

The services offered by FCA will include vocational education, career coaching, case management, transitional housing, and financial literacy education. Additionally, there will be a wide array of clinical/counseling programs strengthened by the strategic partnerships FCA has with local universities, trade schools and progressive employers. The program will be based at the Long Beach MLK Community Center, and FCA will be working closely with local community and faith-based organizations to recruit participants.

Upon learning of the opportunity to work with Long Beach residents, FCA President/CEO Jeffrey Reynolds, PhD, said: “We want to thank the City Council for partnering with us to help the resilient residents of Long Beach as the next phase of recovery focuses on persistent economic challenges.”

“It’s no secret,” he continued, “that Long Beach was hit very hard, and still continues to struggle in the aftermath of the devastating storm. We are honored and delighted to partner with the key stakeholders in Long Beach as we move forward to improve the lives of Nassau County’s most vulnerable families.”

“The ultimate goal of this program is to help young people transition into successful, independent adults with the capacity and confidence to lead productive lives,” said Long Beach City Council President Len Torres. “As an educator, I know the importance of helping young people thrive in our community.”

“This administration remains committed to empowering young people in Long Beach to reach their potential, whenever it can,” state City Councilwoman Anissa Moore. “We are proud to partner with FCA in the movement to combat youth unemployment.”

“This mentoring and job placement program will go a long way in helping our residents who are not just looking to find work, but to chart a career path” commented City Manager Jack Schnirman. “Our community development team is engaging members of our community to identify opportunities and policy solutions through various means, including the Empower North Park initiative which aims to alleviate barriers and expand opportunities for our residents.”

“When Jack Schnirman told us about this opportunity, Janice and I were excited to get involved,” said Long Beach native Billy Crystal. “We have seen firsthand the power that mentoring can have on young people’s lives, and this program can truly help those who need it the most.”

For more information about the Long Beach Ladders to Success program, please contact Donna Raphael, Director of Youth Services/Community Relations, at (516) 486-7690 ext. 1.

About Family & Children’s Association:
Family & Children’s is a not-for-profit agency helping nearly 20,000 of our neighbors each year. For more than 130 years, FCA has worked to protect and strengthen vulnerable children, seniors, families and communities on Long Island. Through an integrated network of services and counseling, Family & Children’s provides help and hope to underserved and disadvantaged individuals struggling to build better lives. FCA offers Addiction Treatment and Behavioral Health Services; Educational Opportunities and Life Skills for Youth; Strategies for Building Family Success; Counseling, Services and Support for Adults and Seniors; Shelter and Services for Homeless Youth, Adults and Veterans; and Innovative Approaches to Strengthening Communities.

About Long Beach:
The City of Long Beach is one of only two cities on Long Island, and it currently has a population of about 35,000 people spread across two square miles of land surrounded by water.  With the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Reynolds Channel on the other, Long Beach is a beautiful seaside community.  In winter and summer, one can find strollers, joggers, and bicycle riders along the 2.2-mile oceanfront boardwalk.  The adjacent beach is a 3.5-mile stretch of pure white sand, open to the public year round.  For more information about Long Beach, please visit longbeachny.gov or contact the City’s public relations department at 516-431-1000 ext. 7216 or via email.

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