Millionaire Club Charity of Seattle recognized United Way of King County as its 2018 Community Partner of the Year Award. The award spotlights United Way’s Seattle-area Jobs Connect program.

“It’s simple: Jobs Connect helps people get back to work,” said Wayne Wilson, United Way Community Impact Manager for Ending Homelessness. “We’re in a county that has hundreds of open jobs. Jobs Connect allows people who want to work and get back on their feet to fill those openings.”

We know that housing is the solution to homelessness. We also know that you can’t move into housing or stay in it without an income. That’s why we invest in Jobs Connect: to link people who are homeless and able to work with employers who can put them to work.

“Since we’ve launched this program with United Way, we get calls from around the country from other organizations wanting to do Jobs Connect. We say, ‘Go find United Way,'” said Jim Miller, Millionair Club Executive Director, who spoke to United Way staff recently, along with Jobs Connect employee, Lamar.

“I was applying everywhere, and never getting calls back,” Lamar said. That’s a story that’s true for many people who are trying to get back on their feet while experiencing homelessness.

It’s tough to fill out a job application without a permanent address. It’s also tough to show a potential employer your work ethic and jobs skills when all they see is homelessness. United Way’s partnership with Millionair Club, the City of Seattle and the Downtown Seattle Association is removing those barriers and many more.

Successes with Seattle-area Jobs Connect

Meet Roland, who thanks Jobs Connect for helping him get back on his feet. Read our update on Justin, whom we met through Jobs Connect and caught up with recently to see how he’s doing.

• 10,000 outreach engagements
• 200 employers, including Tom Douglas Restaurants, First & Goal Hospitality at CenturyLink Field, the Seattle Mariners
• Average wage: $15.30

Want to open the employment door for someone today? Donate to this program today.

Thank you, Millionair Club, for this honor, and for being a fantastic partner in changing lives. Together, we’re building a community where people have homes.