We all have our green trashcans; these “green waste” cans usually end up with much more than just sticks and leaves. The material is picked up in trucks, taken to the city’s Green Waste Facility on South Mount Vernon Road, and sorted to remove non-green waste material. This is where we come in.

The innovative new program is a part of The Job Development Program at the Bakersfield Homeless Center. The goal of the Job Development program has been to provide job skills, training, and education to homeless individuals helping transition them back into the job market. “Many come to us with little or no job experience and are in need of an opportunity to learn new skills and obtain job experience” says Job Developer Debra Lawson-Tyner. “This is why we are so excited about our new Green Waste Project with the City of Bakersfield.”

We will be hiring twenty part-time positions from our homeless community to complete this task. All applicants who apply must complete job applications and go through the interview process. We will have two shifts 6:30 am to 10:30am and 11:00 am to 3:00 pm., 5 days a week. We want this to be a learning process for our clients helping them re-enter the job market and obtain full-time employment.

 Homeless individuals face many obstacles such as lack of childcare and transportation issues when they are trying to obtain work. Discovery Depot, BHC’s licensed childcare facility, will provide childcare for our working mothers and fathers, and BHC will provide workers transportation to and from the job site. The program also continues the successful collaboration with community partners such as WESTEC, who has provided the safety training for our employees.

What this means to those staying at the center is that they have hope for a new start, a second chance to get their lives back on track. Sunni Funk says, “This is the opportunity I have been waiting for.” Obtaining employment is crucial to becoming selfsufficient and being able to afford housing. This project can make this happen. ■