Posted on 09/04/2005 11:42:07 AM PDT by veronica
A number of evacuees who relocated to Montgomery County in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina want and need to join the local workforce.
Ted Washington, of The Woodlands, who is housing six evacuees, including his brother, said they all want to work while they're in the area.
"One worked at Pottery Barn in New Orleans, and she went to the mall and was hired by Pottery Barn there," he said.
The people evacuated to this area probably will get one more paycheck and then they won't know what to do for money to live, Washington said.
"Jobs are critical," he said. "These people want to help themselves. "These people don't want a handout they want a job. Right now, they are concerned about housing and jobs; that's the bottom line." Most evacuees planned to be displaced for only three days, he said. "They didn't have any clue they might be gone for three or four months."
They're currently looking at the Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Administration Web site, but jobs will come soon, Washington said.
The Woodlands Rotary Club has decided to take on the effort by providing a job bank for individuals affected by Hurricane Katrina, Rotary member and job bank organizer Lauri Thomas said. "We knew the Red Cross was taking care of food and shelter," she said. "We wanted a way to help and use our network."
People who are here had been saying they didn't know what to do about jobs, Thomas said. "We wanted to find a way to connect people to temporary jobs," she said.
The Web site could be created in a day, Thomas said.
"Hopefully, we'll serve as a conduit to people in contact with job resources," she said. The Rotary job bank is available at www.HurricaneKatrinaJobBank.com.
Companies interested in posting jobs can contact Thomas at lthomas@pro-links.com.
It's importation for these people to find any action that will give them some sense of control over their life, she said.
"Right now, a lot of these people are feeling terribly helpless," Thomas said. "Even those that were lucky enough to be able to stay with friends or family in the Houston area feel like they're a burden to their family." The Rotary Club also will attach links to other groups providing a similar service to avoid duplication, she said.
Conroe City Councilman Jay Ross Martin encouraged those seeking temporary work to go to the day labor site, located at 300 W. Ave. G in Conroe. "We have an organized system, and that's what it's for," he said.
They probably have a better chance now because a lot of the normal workforce has been picked up to do cleanup efforts in the affected areas, Martin said. The Houston Rockets also have announced plans for an event Tuesday and Wednesday that includes job skills training and job placement from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Toyota Center in downtown Houston.
On Thursday, the services will be available from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those interested in donating items to the Rockets effort can send e-mails to hopefest@rocketball.com. More information about the event is available at www.toyotacentertix.com.
Papa John's in Houston is offering jobs to 150 victims of Katrina. Contact the company at (713) 227-7272 for more information. Chase staffing also is offering to help place evacuees at temporary jobs. Evacuees should call (404) 250-0919 for the nearest office for assistance.
Individuals also can call The WorkSource at (936) 441-0037 in Conroe or (281) 363-1640 in The Woodlands.
I would think that anyone who had a job that they can't return to is eligible to collect unemployment insurance. Not counting the useless cops who walked of their jobs in the greatest time of need, of course.
"A number of evacuees who relocated to Montgomery County in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina want and need to join the local workforce. "
Sorry, temporary jobs are only for illegal immigrants.
Maybe they'll do some of the jobs that "Americans don't want to do," and then we can proceed to kick out all the illegal alien invaders.
Fat chance.
It seems that the illegals day laborers are out of state doing cleanup work.
Conroe City Councilman Jay Ross Martin encouraged those seeking temporary work to go to the day labor site, located at 300 W. Ave. G in Conroe.
They [the evacuees] probably have a better chance now because a lot of the normal workforce has been picked up to do cleanup efforts in the affected areas, Martin said.
Unlike Lousy-Annie which still has a welfare state, people relocated to Texas will be expected to find gainful employment.
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