Hartford – Hartford Job Corps is proud to have completed a new service project to improve literacy in our communities by collecting almost 900 books for both the Charter Oak International Academy, in Hartford, and the Friends Bookstore, an affiliate of Meriden Public Library, in Meriden, during the month of March. Staff and community members donated gently-used books, as well as new purchases. Today was a very special day for Hartford Job Corps, to be able to serve our communities with their literacy needs and initiatives, as well as bring joy to those who work so hard in achieving that goal- specifically, Frank Ridley, Friends Bookstore Director, and Tamara Acosta, School Social Worker for the Charter Oak International Academy. The recipients were visibly grateful, knowing that their clientele and students would benefit from all of the new titles and resource materials collected. Mr. Ridley graciously gave us a tour of his store and sorting/storage facility, in addition to providing the history of how the Friends Bookstore came into existence.
This was one of four service projects the Hartford Job Corps will participate in 2021 to celebrate our operating company’s (Management and Training-MTC) 40th anniversary! In 1981, MTC was founded with a mission to help at-risk, underserved men and women change their lives through education and training. They manage and support Job Corps centers, corrections facilities, detention centers, and global economic resource development, such as work force training, word-wide.
The Hartford Job Corps center, both a school and training facility located on a bucolic campus setting in the southwest corner of Hartford, houses and prepares young adults, ages 16-24, for future employment via academic skills remediation, high school completion, trade certification completion, in a trade of the students’ choice, soft skills and life skills trainings, and career exploration and preparation. Full service programming includes, housing, all meals, recreation opportunities, driver’s education courses, career transition curriculum and services, and more. We have always been committed to improving the lives of not only our student population, but also community members and outside partnership affiliates we have garnered over the past decade, since opening our center.
Thank you, to all who donated and helped make the book drive a huge success.
