JVS Opens Expanded Financial Opportunity Center

“Dress for the job you want” is oft-repeated career advice. Looking at the new headquarters of Jewish Vocational Service (JVS) in that light, it appears that JVS is ready to be Boston’s premier job training and employment service.

On Wednesday, June 4, CEO Jerry Rubin, JVS staff and community supporters gathered for an upbeat and uniquely Jewish ceremony to hang the mezuzah (which holds a parchment scroll inscribed with Torah verses) in the doorway of their new 50,000 square foot, state-of-the-art Center for Economic Opportunity. Located at 75 Federal Street, the new facility is just a few blocks from JVS’s former Winter Street home in downtown Boston, yet it is light years apart in terms of space, sophistication and the possibilities it offers to all who enter.

JVS Earns Public Funding

The Center will operate in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Financial Empowerment, an initiative launched last fall to address poverty and income inequality in Boston with the help of several non-profit partners.  The Center includes a newly expanded one-stop career center, state-of-the-art adult learning technology, corporate sponsored training facilities, and wrap-around support services.

Jerry Rubin, President and CEO of JVS, said, “We are thrilled to partner with the Commonwealth, the City of Boston, and our business and philanthropic partners, to open this state- of-the-art training center; where residents can gain critical occupational skills and credentials and partner with key Boston area employers in multiple sectors.”

A Growing Partnership

JVS and CJP are longtime partners, with leaders who share a vision of how philanthropists, community organizations and public agencies can work together to achieve results that no one group could accomplish alone.

“Boston is fortunate to have one of the very best Jewish Vocational Services in the nation,” says CJP President Barry Shrage. “Time and again, we’ve turned to them to help create new programs that address unmet needs. And each time, the results have exceeded expectations. We look forward to continuing this partnership.”

Together, CJP and JVS have collaborated with the Ruderman Family Foundation to create Transitions to Work, a job training program that prepares young adults with disabilities for paid employment. With Jewish Family Service of Metrowest, CJP and JVS have also implemented Ready for Success, a new program that helps mid-career Jewish job seekers find employment.

Working Together: Worth Every Penny

Philanthropic funders, private investors and state officials have all recognized JVS’s strong return on investment in the community.  A recent study showed that for every $1 invested in job training and education, approximately $3 is gained in wages per hour for each client. 

Part of this expansion is fueled by JVS’s selection by the Commonwealth to launch the first in the country social innovation bond for adult education and employment.  The $15 million bond will be paid upfront by private investors and then reimbursed by the state from increased payroll taxes from earnings by the participants as they are employed and advance in their careers.  In addition, JVS launched its Center for Economic Opportunity campaign in March. To date, $4 million has been raised towards the $6 million goal. Learn more about all the services that JVS offers.

Related links:
Transitions to Work
Ruderman Family Foundation
New Career Service at Jewish Family Service of Metrowest

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