Outreach Center Coordinates Toyland Workshop Outreach – Center for Community Resources is currently coordinated its annual Toyland Workshop to provide pajamas, socks, books, educational toys, and grocery gift cards for children and families in our shared community. Through an incredible outpouring of support, numerous contributions, grants, and in-kind donations by several foundations, corporations, local businesses, charitable organizations, and individuals were made to Outreach for its annual Toyland Workshop. This year, Outreach is providing gift packages to over 200 participant families. Outreach FamilyDevelopment Specialists are delivering gifts to more than 330 children for the holiday season. Manytoys were purchased online through our Amazon Wish List. Contributors that were logged into Amazon Smile had an additional percentage of their purchase donated to Outreach by Amazon in support of the numerous programs provided to our shared community. Students from the University of Scranton and Holy Cross High School also shared their goodwill by collecting toys and adopting Outreach participant families this season. For more information, please call Lori Ryan at (570)-558-7565. Outreach Center for Community Resources delivers parent/child and workforce development services and programs to the regional community to promote family stability and economic self-sufficiency. Outreach provides evidence-based early childhood programs that help families and children gain the skills needed to be healthy and productive members of the community. Outreach improves the lives of over 4,000 individuals each year with programs that support people as they navigate life’s challenges.
Outreach – Center for Community Resources GED Graduate Outreach – Center for Community Resources received a $5,000 Innovative Impact grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation to support the delivery of GED services for individuals in the community to further their education. This grant provided essential resources for Outreach to serve additional adults in our community in need of these services. Outreach is providing GED educational instruction to economically disadvantaged adults at no cost. This is only possible with grants to support the GED program. Adults with a GED earn on average $9,000 more annually than adults without a GED. Less than 10% of the job positions in the United States will consider hiring someone that does not hold a high school diploma or GED. Attainment of a GED is critical for adults seeking employment and economic self-sufficiency. The Scranton Area Community Foundation has been serving the Northeastern Pennsylvania region for over 65 years as a steward, a grantmaker, a charitable resource, and a catalyst for change and growth. The Scranton Area Community Foundation was established as a community trust in 1954 by the Scranton Family, whose initial gift was the seed that has grown into a permanent vehicle for donors to accomplish their philanthropic goals while helping to support positive change within our community. Today the Scranton Area Community Foundation holds and manages a variety of funds from individuals, organizations, and corporations. Through these gifts, the Foundation responds to community needs and has provided grants to support regional nonprofits. Cal Bieryla is one of the first to participate in the community GED program at Outreach. Cal was extremely motivated to learn while managing multiple responsibilities, such as being a single Dad and having a full-time job. By utilizing the in-person and online instruction offered by Outreach, Cal was able to attend Math class in the morning after working all night. Then, he worked on English on his own time via Google Classroom. Cal’s goal was not simply to pass the GED exam, but to obtain scores that would allow him to be accepted into college. On July 18, he officially became a graduate with college-ready scores. Outreach supported his desire to pursue post-secondary education by connecting him with assistance to explore careers, complete college applications, and financial aid paperwork. Within a few days of completing his GED, Cal was officially accepted into Lackawanna College and is now studying Cyber Security. With grant support from regional foundations, Outreach Center for Community Resources delivers family educational and workforce development services and programs to the regional community that promotes family stability and economic self-sufficiency. Outreach provides evidence-based early childhood programs that help families and children gain the skills needed to be healthy and productive members of the community. Outreach improves the lives of over 4,000 individuals each year with award-winning workforce and family development programs that support them as they navigate life’s challenges.
Outreach Center To Host Cintas Job Fair The LEAD Center at Outreach is hosting an on-site job fair with Cintas. The job fair is open to the public. Meet with Cintas, bring your resume, and explore the amazing job opportunities Cintas has to offer. Available positions at Cintas include: Production Associate-Picker-$15/hr.Production Associate-Garment Processor-$16.75/hr.Hiring for 1st and 2nd shift for both positions. Cintas is dedicated to helping businesses across North America stay clean, prepared, and looking professional. They take care of the important tasks that help their customers keep their workplaces running smoothly through Cintas’ innovative solutions and routine service visits. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cintas is a Fortune 500 company that serves more than one million businesses in all types of industries. Their diverse customer base ranges from small manufacturing companies to mid-sized hotel chains to major corporations with thousands of employees. Cintas creates a culture for employees that leads to success. They know that every job is critical, that teamwork promotes excellence, collaboration is key to innovation, and training prepares Cintas team members to participate in a meaningful work environment.
Outreach To Hold Annual Mighty Oak Awards Outreach – Center for Community Resources will host its annual Mighty Oak Awards honoring pillars in our community for their leadership and contributions on September 29, 2022 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Glenmaura National Golf Club in Moosic. The 2022 Mighty Oak honorees include: Daniel Santaniello, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank. Dan has dedicated his life not only to his profession but also to his community’s civic engagement through supporting philanthropic organizations throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Linda Ciampi, former Executive Director of Outreach, spent six of her over 25-year career forwarding the mission of Outreach through her commitment to overseeing operations and providing leadership that ensured excellence in providing evidence-based programming to families, adults, and children in northeastern Pennsylvania. A new award, the Beth Beh Community Spirit Award, will be presented this year to The Lackawanna County Penn State Master Gardeners. The award is to recognize their service in beautifying the grounds of Outreach and partnering with local organizations to provide instruction on gardening while improving neighborhoods throughout Lackawanna County.
Outreach Center Visits State Capitol Outreach – Center for Community Resources participated in the Pennsylvania Family Center and Parents as Teachers® Rally on the front steps of the State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. Accompanying Outreach Family Center Director, Carlene Gula, were Amy Paulin and Sandra Miller with her 10-year-old son Matthew; all are past participants of the Parents as Teachers® program provided by Outreach. Ms. Paulin and Mrs. Miller both had the opportunity to speak at the rally, explaining how the Parents as Teachers® program helped them during the early stages of their children’s lives and told of their successes as parents using the skills they gained during the program. Matthew, a recipient of the Parents as Teachers® resources, had the opportunity to meet with state legislators, Representative Kyle Mullins and Representative Thomas Welby. Representative Mullins introduced Matthew to fellow State Representatives as he provided a tour of the State Capitol and House floor while explaining his duties as a legislator.
Outreach Hosts Parent Café for Fathers Outreach recently invited Fathers to attend our Parent Café that was held on June 10, 2022, from 10 am – 11:30 am. The topic of the Parent Café was Dad Talks and featured Pennsylvania State Representatives Kyle Mullins and Thom Welby, sharing their experiences as Fathers. Outreach hosted over 20 participants that spent a morning with their peers and some of the Family Development Specialists from Outreach to share stories, concerns, joys, and accomplishments in a supportive environment. Attendees and their children also received the book “Just Me and My Dad”. Outreach offers a variety of programs that promote family stability and economic self-sufficiency, with respect for the individual and with the highest professional standards. Outreach improves the lives of over 4,000 adults and children each year with evidence-based early childhood education, parenting, family, and workforce development programs that support individuals as they navigate through life’s challenges. While many Outreach families and individuals come from disparate and often-times difficult circumstances, all share one common trait: Hope for brighter tomorrows.
Job Fair at Outreach – Center for Community Resources Outreach invites job seekers to attend the CANPACK Job Fair being held at the LEAD Center at Outreach, 431 North Seventh Avenue on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, 11 am to 2 pm. The LEAD Center at Outreach is hosting this on-site job fair with CANPACK. CANPACK is an international manufacturer of aluminum and steel cans and glass bottles for the food and beverage sector, located in Jessup, PA. CANPACK’s mission is to be the global partner of choice for impactful, experience-enhancing and sustainable packaging solutions – energizing customers, connecting with consumers, and inspiring employees to push boundaries. The job fair is open to the public. Meet with CANPACK, bring your resume, and explore the amazing job opportunities CANPACK has to offer. CANPACK as an employer seeks to unleash the collective energy and potential of their employees.
Outreach Center for Community Resources Welcomes New Executive Director A new year marks a new chapter in the history of Outreach Center for Community Resources in Scranton as members of the Board of Directors announce Lori Chaffers has been named Executive Director. Outreach is a non-profit organization serving thousands of people of all ages in northeastern Pennsylvania through a variety of programs supporting family stability and economic self-sufficiency. Chaffers brings a wealth of experience in social services and advocacy to her new position, including a decade of service with Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services, where she fulfilled various roles. Most recently, she was the agency’s program director in the Office of Social Service Research and Development. Prior to that, she was a supervisor for its Independent Living Unit, an independent living coordinator, and a caseworker. Her career encompasses human services, strategic planning and education at social service agencies, religious organizations and educational institutions in Scranton, Philadelphia and surrounding communities, and New Jersey. A stalwart advocate for social justice, her experience will enhance efforts to fulfill the mission of Outreach, and meet the growing needs of the populations it serves. Chaffers is affiliated with a number of professional and community organizations. Highlights of her community involvement include serving as board secretary of the Center for Health & Human Services Research & Action, and as executive committee member of Transforming Children’s Future. Past service includes volunteering as chairperson for the Youth & Education Sub-Committee of Lackawanna County Housing Continuum, and as a member of the Lackawanna Recovery Coalition. She also served as an adjunct instructor and field instructor for the Master of Social Work program at Marywood University in Scranton. In 2017, Chaffers was honored with the Murray Fox Practicum Educators Award presented by Marywood University’s Field Education Department. Chaffers has participated in numerous professional and educational conferences as a guest lecturer at Temple University, Marywood University, The University of Scranton, SWAN statewide conference, and TCOM/CANS conference, and CWRC: Older Youth Webinar Series Collaboration for Transition Planning. She holds a bachelor of social work degree from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, and a master of social work degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. Chaffers resides in Dickson City with her husband, Alexander (A.J.), and her two children, Angela, age 9, and Joseph, age 6. Chaffers begins her service on January 10, following the retirement of Executive Director Linda Ciampi, who joined the Outreach staff in 2014 as operations director. She was named executive director in 2015 and appointed in 2016, marking a period of growth for the organization. Under her direction, the center underwent a name change and rebranding from Employment Opportunity and Training Center (EOTC) to Outreach Center for Community Resources to better reflect the variety of services and programs the center offers. In addition, the organization was recognized by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce as the SAGE Award Non-Profit of the Year in 2018, and designated a Blue-Ribbon Parents as Teacher® National Affiliate in 2021. An active member of the community, Ciampi served on multiple non-profit boards during her tenure, including: leadership roles on the Lackawanna County Criminal Justice Advisory Board; the Lackawanna County Opioid Reduction Coalition, as a member of the Leadership Committee and co-chairperson of the Professional Education Committee; member of Scranton Area Community Foundation’s Women in Philanthropy initiative; coach for The University of Scranton’s Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program; and chairperson of the Pardon Project of Lackawanna County.
Outreach Center for Community Resources Receives Grant from Recovery Rises Foundation Pictured left to right: Helen Lavelle, Brendan McGovern, Attorney Conrad Falvello, Recovery Rises Foundation, Linda Ciampi, Outreach Executive Director, and Attorney Thomas Cummings, Recovery Rises. Outreach – Center for Community Resources is honored to receive a $100,000 grant from the Recovery Rises Foundation (formerly Clear Brook Foundation). Outreach partners with Recovery Rises to support individuals impacted by drug and alcohol addiction. This grant will allow Outreach to provide support and programs that help individuals to achieve family stability, long-term recovery, and economic self-sufficiency. Community programs provided at the Outreach Center in Scranton include workforce development, parenting, anger management, family reunification, financial literacy, career portfolios including submitting job applications, interview preparation, group and peer-to-peer recovery services, and much more. Outreach partners with Recovery Rises to provide wraparound recovery and additional human services for participants. Outreach case managers work individually with participants to connect them to needed services including referrals for housing, food, advanced vocational skills, connection to recovery and mental health assistance, and links to services available at our regional partner organizations. The Recovery Rises Foundation provides grants to organizations to meet the needs of the underserved in the recovery community. The Foundation provides grants to regional non-profits that seek to create projects that elevate local recovery efforts. Support is provided to advance the following priorities: Foster collaboration among different community agencies, and local government; Reflect a comprehensive approach to recovery community development; Promote recovery community participation and engagement; and Provide evidence-based results.
Robert H. Spitz Foundation Grant Supports Outreach Center for Community Resources In photo (left to right): Frank Caputo, Grants & Communications Coordinator, Scranton Area Community Foundation, Administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation; Cathy Fitzpatrick, Grants & Scholarship Manager, Scranton Area Community Foundation; Eve Schell and Alicia Olivetti, Outreach Early Head Start Family Development Specialists, Jack Nogi, Trustee, Robert H. Spitz Foundation The Robert H. Spitz Foundation awarded a $25,000 grant to support the programs and services that Outreach provides to the regional community. Outreach serves a broad population of those affected by poverty and other challenges: single parents, unemployed workers, educationally at-risk children, veterans, individuals with health, behavioral and cognitive issues, individuals in recovery, and others in transition. Outreach improves the lives of over 4,000 adults and children each year with award-winning workforce and family development programs that support individuals as they navigate through life’s challenges. The support from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation supports Outreach programs and services that are being provided at the Center on Seventh Avenue, virtually, and through home visiting child-serving programs. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation grant will provide the operational support necessary for Outreach to respond to the increased need being experienced in the community for workforce and family services and programs. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation supports initiatives and programs serving the residents of Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Robert H. Spitz was born in Scranton and was a 1955 graduate of Scranton Central High School and the University of Miami, Florida. Before retirement, Mr. Spitz had been employed by the U.S. Department of Labor and was also the owner of several local Arby’s restaurants. Since 2015, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has provided over $3.7 million in funding to the community. The Scranton Area Community Foundation serves as the administrator of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation.
