| He helps the
jobless start anew
Jobs Partnership: Co-founder
spoke to business, religious leaders about helping people
get on their feet
8/17/2001 - By Phil Anderson
- The Capital-Journal
Business executive Chris Mangum
recalled a day when he used to drive past unemployed men
on the street corners of Raleigh, N.C., and not give them
a second thought, even though he was in a position to give
them work.
Interestingly, he admits, he considered himself a good Christian
at the time.
It was after a chance encounter in 1994 with a black pastor
in Raleigh that Mangum began to see things differently and
realize that he is his brother's keeper.
The result: Mangum and the pastor, the Rev. Donald McCoy,
planted the seeds for what was to become the Jobs Partnership
program in 1996, which continues to be based in Raleigh
and has spread to about 30 cities across the nation.
On Friday, Mangum encouraged a group of 60 local business
and religious leaders to get involved with the Jobs Partnership
Topeka organization, which is celebrating its first anniversary
this month.
The luncheon, which included introductory remarks by Mayor
Butch Felker, was at the Ramada Inn Downtown, 420 S.E. 6th.
Mangum, a 47-year-old married father of three who runs a
road construction company that does about $90 million in
business each year, described Jobs Partnership as "a
true collaboration between businesses and churches"
that aims to help unemployed and underemployed people find
significant employment.
He said the program's inception resulted from a lunch conversation
several years ago between himself and McCoy. During the
lunch, Mangum mentioned he had 10 trucks in his road construction
company that needed drivers.
McCoy replied he had able-bodied men and women in his congregation
who were, "in effect, parked," because they didn't
have jobs.
The two saw merit in their plan, linking a business with
a congregation. They realized the potential for expanding
it beyond Mangum's business and McCoy's church and soon
enlisted other interested parties in the community.
Today, about 60 businesses and 60 churches are involved
in Raleigh, and the job-retention rate for individuals who
graduate from the Jobs Partnership program is 92 percent,
80 percent nationwide.
Mangum said those figures are above the averages for all
workers, and far surpass welfare-to-work programs run by
the government.
A key component to Jobs Partnership success, he said, is
the way the faith community provides mentors who work with
individuals seeking to improve their employment opportunities.
One Jobs Partnership Topeka class graduated in April after
its 12-week session concluded. The second class is now meeting,
with graduation slated for Sept. 13.
Participants meet on Monday and Thursday nights and receive
instruction in biblical principles and job skills. Local
business leaders and pastors volunteer to lead the classes,
but more involvement is needed, a major thrust of Friday's
meeting.
"We just need to let the businesses know this is beneficial
to all of us," said Bill Livingston, of Livingston's
Formal Fashions and a Jobs Partnership Topeka board member.
"That's the hardest part -- to communicate that, because
we're all very busy."
For more information about the
program, call 286-0959.
Phil Anderson can be reached at (785) 295-1195 or panderson@cjonline.com.
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