FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2011

Despite dismal economy, St. Patrick Center reports positive employment outcomes for homeless

As the nation celebrates the worker this upcoming Labor Day, St. Patrick Center today reported positive employment outcomes for the agency’s clients. Despite a dismal economy, Missouri’s largest provider of homeless services says its nine employment programs placed 562 men and women struggling with homelessness, including veterans, into full-time and part-time jobs during Fiscal Year 2011, which ended June 30.

“We are proud of our employment and job training programs that not only place individuals into jobs but also provide them with new skills and certifications that make them more marketable in this challenging economy,” says St. Patrick Center CEO Tom Etling. “The need is greater than ever now to fund these various programs, but we know that our efforts to do so will continue to reap the benefits of job placements for men and women.”

According to a July 2011 report from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Missouri’s unemployment rate reached 8.7 percent, slightly less than the national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent. The Wall Street Journal has reported that President Barack Obama plans to reveal a job creation package in September that will include a job training initiative. “There are people across America with talents just waiting to be tapped, sparks waiting to be lit and our job is to light them,” said President Obama on a trip to a manufacturing plant in June.

The following is a sampling of outcomes from St. Patrick Center’s employment programs, including two veterans programs:

Building Employment Skills for Tomorrow (BEST): 78 men and women earned part-time wages and completed on-the-job training. 42 were placed into jobs.

Homeless Employment Program (HEP): 200 clients found and retained full-time employment in this program that works as an employment agency, with no fee to the employer or to the applicant.

Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP): 146 veterans were placed into full-time jobs and 44 received advanced employment training.

McMurphy’s Grill: 68 clients participated in the nation’s first restaurant training program for clients struggling with homelessness and mental illness. 28 found employment. 

Veterans GO! Green: 45 veterans were placed into green jobs. In addition, employers/partners provided 23 green industry paid internships.

In addition to St. Patrick Center’s nine employment programs, the agency is also home to a small business incubator. The BEGIN New Venture Center helped 15 new companies launch in FY2011, for a total of 24 new businesses now growing in the nation’s first incubator with mission sensitivity to provide employment opportunities for St. Patrick Center’s homeless clients.

MISSION:
St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Individuals achieve permanent, positive changes in their lives through affordable housing, sound mental health, employment and financial stability.

FOR MORE INFO:
Kelly Peach
Senior Director of Communications
St. Patrick Center
Direct Line 314.802.0687
Cell 314.581.7126
kpeach@stpatrickcenter.org

Stephanie Perry
Writer/Producer
St. Patrick Center
Direct Line 314.802.1968
Cell 314.853.8886
sperry@stpatrickcenter.org

www.stpatrickcenter.org