BoA Charitable Foundation gives thousands of dollars to 20 N.J. nonprofits

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The nonprofit Hopeworks ’N Camden, which for 15 years has been helping unemployed youth continue their education and find jobs, is among 20 New Jersey nonprofits that just received a total of $750,000 in grants from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.All 20 are addressing workforce development and education by helping connect the unemployed, underemployed, veterans, youth and those with disabilities to training and job opportunities.

“These organizations play a critical role in helping New Jersey residents develop the skills they need to enter or re-enter the workforce,” said Bob Doherty, New Jersey president, Bank of America. “Education and employment are integral to the long-term stability of our communities, and these standout organizations help people achieve professional success.”

Along with Hopeworks, organizations getting Bank of America grants include a Fairleigh Dickinson University program that helps veterans launch new ventures, and a summer youth employment program run by Hudson County.

Hopeworks partners with employers whose internships provide job experience and a paycheck to young people earning their GED diploma or taking college classes.

Eickhoff’s Shoprite Supermarkets in Delran, with five ShopRite stores in the Burlington County area, is one of the Hopeworks internship partners.

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Heidi Eagles-Marcelli, director of training and development, said she currently has three Hopeworks interns: two cashiers and a meat department clerk. She works with the staff at Hopeworks to tailor skill development to the needs of the intern.

One young woman looking to become more adept at working with people chose to intern as a cashier “so that she could work with people one-on-one and gain a higher comfort level working with customers directly.”

The meat department intern “is computer savvy, so that was a good department to get him into.”

Eagles-Marcelli said among the strengths of the Hopeworks program is that the interns get advice and coaching from their managers at ShopRite, while also getting coaching from the Hopeworks staff.

“This is a good program,” she said. The young people, mostly 18 to 21, “are very personable. They have been through struggles in their lives and they have proven themselves. You want to bring kids like that on board.”

She said when ShopRite recruits new employees from the general public, it takes many applicants and interviews to find workers who are a good fit. But among the interns that Hopeworks has sent her, “every single one has worked out. They’re all just really good kids.”

Hopeworks has received $356,250 from Bank of America since 2006, including a major grant of $200,000 for 2011-2012, when Hopeworks received the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award.

Dan Rhoton, chief impact director with Hopeworks, said the organization works with about 300 young people a year through its day program, high school after school program, internships and a residency program.

“You can live with us for up to two years while working and going to school,” he said. In addition to placing youth with area employers, Hopeworks operates three businesses that provide jobs for youths that Hopeworks trains.

“We teach them the basics of web design and development and, by the time they finish their training with us, they can build and design websites,” Rhoton said. “While they are doing that, they earn 12 college credits with us, and we help them get into college and succeed in college.”

Rhoton added, “We work with youth who are disconnected, who have dropped out of school, who are maybe coming out of the juvenile justice system and sometimes youth who don’t know what to do next, but know they want to make a change.”

Counseling focuses on “discussions about patterns of behavior and what has happened to you that might keep you from doing the things at work that you need to do,” Rhoton said. Hopeworks youth “may have had significant trauma — friends and family members killed. Unless you deal with the trauma you have experienced and are ready for work, that resume and cover letter is only going to get you so far.”

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