Jobs Summit Raises Dollars … and Builds a Community of Support

Thank you 2010 Jobs Summit sponsors!

When you bring 250 of HIRED’s closest friends and supporters together, good things are going to happen.

Good things definitely happened on Thursday, April 8, at HIRED’s third-annual Jobs Summit fundraising breakfast. With record-high attendance and a moving program featuring inspiring stories of success, the extended HIRED community – friends, supporters, sponsors and others – came together to raise critical funding to support the HIRED mission.

The purpose of the Jobs Summit is twofold: to introduce Twin Cities residents unfamiliar with HIRED to its life-changing mission and essential services, and to ask for a financial contribution to support the organization’s day-to-day work. This year’s program began with a “recipe for success” prepared by Senior Trainer Jeff Riley and five of his students in the Culinary Training Program at Broadway High School. In addition, the program included a moving video presentation of three HIRED clients as they struggle with and overcome employment challenges, and an inspiring story of success told by HIRED client and M-Powered program graduate Althea Drepaul and her employer Erick Ajax of E.J. Ajax and Sons.

HIRED Executive Director Jane Samargia also spoke to attendees about how HIRED – despite massive need and limited resources – is again rising to help meet the myriad challenges facing job seekers. And HIRED Board Member and Vice Chair Cynthia Bremer shared her experience growing up when her father faced significant health challenges, impacting his ability to work and the family’s financial stability.

“This is a wonderful event,” said Samargia. “It’s no secret that there are very real employment challenges facing so many of our Twin Cities neighbors right now. And while HIRED does amazing things to help those in need, the hard truth is that we simply cannot serve all of those who need us. The Jobs Summit helps remind us all that – despite the difficult times – HIRED knows how to get people back to work.”

Jobs Summit attendee and first-time supporter Greg Gehrman said, “I really didn’t realize the breadth of what HIRED does and how they meet the needs of such a wide range of people. It is impossible to not see all of the pain in our communities right now … families are really hurting. And there is no one magic bullet. The best way to make a difference seems to be by caring for each person, individually, in a way that enables them to grow and learn in the process. It seems to me that HIRED does just that.”

Instrumental to the success of this year’s Jobs Summit were the numerous corporate sponsors that provided financial support for the event.

Said Erin Loavenbruck, HIRED director of development and communications, “We are very appreciative of our sponsors for their generosity and commitment to HIRED’s work. The more than one dozen companies and organizations that provided financial support for the Jobs Summit program made it possible for us to share amazing, inspiring stories with a roomful of people who care about and support our work.”

In addition to the dollars raised, HIRED’s Work Solutions Society grew to 22 members. The Work Solutions Society is a group of people who are committed to helping build a foundation of sustainable funding for HIRED’s programs and services.

Samargia continued, “This event was much needed, for so many reasons. It’s recharged our batteries during a time when we need every bit of energy we can find to put people back to work. It’s reminded us that there is a committed, generous group of individuals and partners who share our dedication to making a difference for Twin Cities residents, helping them find jobs, which in turn, help them to lead lives of self-sufficiency and strengthen the economy. And it provided much needed financial support to enable us to continue delivering on our promise to provide personalized and innovative work solutions. Thank you to those who sponsored and attended the Jobs Summit. HIRED simply would not be the same without you.”