Within two weeks of opening our doors, Chrysalis Orange County was already celebrating our first bell-ringing with Jesse Nielsen, the center’s first official client. Since then, more than 150 individuals have come through our doors and over 25 clients have landed jobs! A network of service providers has supported us with client referrals and resource linkages. Dedicated volunteers have enhanced our service delivery. And employers throughout the area have contacted us about hiring from among our program graduates.

Today, we thank the City of Anaheim and Disneyland, who highlighted their partnerships with Chrysalis at yesterday’s State of the City address in Anaheim. Mayor Harry Sidhu also announced the city’s key policy initiative yesterday: Anaheim First. This initiative aims to invest $250 million in Anaheim neighborhoods over the next 10 years. With the city’s key focus on economic development this year, we know that we have found the perfect place to carry out our mission of strengthening communities through jobs. We are so excited to have been invited to be a part of the local solution to homelessness in Orange County. With the help of our government, corporate, and community partners, we know we can continue to provide individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Orange County with much-needed support as we help them along their path to self-sufficiency.

Learn more about Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu’s State of the City address here, and watch the city’s video presentation on addressing homelessness in partnership with organizations like Chrysalis here!

The post Unveiling a New ‘Golden Age’: Chrysalis pleased to be a part of the City of Anaheim’s focus on revitalizing local communities in 2019 first appeared on Chrysalis.

When Chrysalis opened its fourth center in Orange County in November of 2018, Erika was one of the first volunteers to arrive eager to share her positivity and professionalism with clients and staff alike. As an Anaheim native and proud CSU Fullerton alumnae, she was enthusiastic about working with individuals from her community to overcome their unique barriers to employment. When she came across Chrysalis’ new volunteering opportunities, Erika was drawn to the direct impact she could have on clients in one-on-one resume writing and practice interview sessions by utilizing the expertise she had gained from her time as an Academic Counselor. “I enjoy having the opportunity to practice my skills while doing work that aims to help improve lives, families, and the community,” Erika explained.

Along with providing one-on-one services, Erika was also recently trained to facilitate Job Prep 3, which focuses on the interview.

Creating meaningful human connections and having the opportunity to be a part of clients’ journeys are among her favorite parts of volunteering with Chrysalis. Her dedication to the organization’s mission has been highly regarded at Chrysalis Orange County, where Erika has earned herself a solid reputation for the understanding and respect she shows each individual she works with. For Erika, it is essential to help clients recognize their own value and hard work, while also assuring them that others see it as well.

“Many clients are in the mindset of either not realizing or downplaying their skill sets and talents by selling themselves short and feeling insecure. It’s important to me that I remind them not to think about the reasons that they can’t get a job and, instead, to think of all of the reasons that they can get a job.” While her experience in jobs ranging from sales to research familiarized Erika with the job search process and varying professional settings, her time as a counselor and Psychology student offered an even deeper insight into the need for soft skills and self-assurance. Along with discussing the technical aspects of compiling a resume or interviewing for a job, Erika is always sure to dedicate time to building clients’ confidence in their ability to create a better future for themselves regardless of where they were prior to walking through Chrysalis’ doors. She emphasized the importance of acknowledging their perseverance and tenacity for self-improvement as they advance through Chrysalis’ program, learn from their past, and make room for a brighter future.

“I want to make sure that clients feel proud of themselves and recognize all of the great things that they can bring to the table in their new job.”

Thank you, Erika, for going above and beyond every day for Chrysalis clients in Orange County!

Volunteer

The post Volunteer Spotlight: Erika first appeared on Chrysalis.

The Los Angeles-Based Nonprofit Dedicated to Helping Homeless and Low-Income Individuals Find Employment Will Open Its First Location in Orange County

LOS ANGELES (April 30, 2018) – Chrysalis, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a pathway to self-sufficiency for homeless and low-income individuals, today announced its plans to expand to Orange County. The new office will be the organization’s fourth location in Southern California – the first outside of Los Angeles County – and answers an urgent call for aid to the homeless population in Orange County, which has grown to nearly 4,800, an increase of approximately 13 percent within five years, according to the most recent homeless count.

“At our current locations in Downtown Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and Santa Monica, Chrysalis has been successful in helping individuals overcome significant barriers to employment,” said Mark Loranger, President and CEO of Chrysalis. “We are honored to be able to offer our services to those struggling in Orange County, where we are also hoping to foster key partnerships with community leaders in an effort to make a significant difference in what has become a grave situation.”

“The dignity of a day’s work has the power to transform lives,” said Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait. “We have seen this with our innovative community volunteer program Better Way Anaheim. After learning about the great work of Chrysalis, I invited them to help us further expand into a full-fledged permanent jobs initiative as a pathway out of homelessness. We look forward to this partnership.”

Chrysalis, which has helped over 60,000 men and women change their lives through jobs since 1984, provides the resources and support needed to find and retain employment. The centers offer phones and computers for clients to communicate with potential employers, computer labs to search for or apply to jobs, one-on-one resume writing and interview training, bus tokens to enable clients to get to job interviews, access to business attire and personal grooming items, along with crucial ongoing support. Chrysalis also hosts a series of job prep workshops, along with one-on-one case management, and resources such as a Women’s Empowerment Program, geared toward helping women overcome trauma and build confidence.

While no address has been confirmed yet, Chrysalis is working with the City of Anaheim to identify a location, with the goal of opening Chrysalis Orange County in Fall 2018.

For more information, please visit ChangeLives.org/Expansion. Follow #PathwayToOC and @ChrysalisLA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Chrysalis
Chrysalis is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a pathway to self-sufficiency for homeless and low-income individuals by providing the resources and support needed to prepare for, find, and retain employment. Since 1984, Chrysalis has helped nearly 60,000 individuals change their lives through jobs. The resource and opportunities available to Chrysalis clients include one-on-one case management, resume-writing assistance, practice interviews, and transitional job opportunities with the organization’s social enterprises. Annually, Chrysalis provides critical employment services to nearly 4,000 homeless and low-income individuals through its current centers in Downtown Los Angeles (Skid Row), Santa Monica and the San Fernando Valley (Pacoima). www.ChangeLives.org

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jennifer Evans Gardner / Daphne Barahona
Murphy O’Brien 310.586.7157 / 310.586.7196
jevansgardner@murphyobrien.com / dbarahona@murphyobrien.com

The post Chrysalis Announces Plans to Expand to Orange County first appeared on Chrysalis.