DOBBINS HEIGHTS — The NCWorks Career Center of Richmond County, formerly the N.C. Employment Security Commission, has scheduled a veterans’ coat giveaway and job fair for Thursday, Jan. 28, at the Dobbins Heights Community Center.
The cold-weather giveaway of coats and winter clothing will be from 9 a.m. to noon and is for veterans only. The hour-long job fair is set to begin at noon and is open to all job-seekers.
“This is the first one in this type of caliber in Richmond County,” said Regina Smalls, manager at NCWorks.
Veterans’ groups partnered with state agencies to hold a similar event in Scotland County last year.
Smalls said there are quite a few homeless veterans in the county, adding that the Place of Grace shelter on Airport Road is available to help them get back on their feet.
The focus of the giveaway and job fair is to help veterans gain access to medical benefits available to them and help them find employment.
“We will feed them a meal,” Smalls said. “Give them blankets, jackets, pants. We are also giving away food, soups, juices and personal hygiene (products). We want to put them back to being productive citizens.”
The job fair is for the underemployed as well as the unemployed and is open to the public as well as veterans.
Local employers will be on site to offer short interviews. Smalls said all applicants will get a job referral.
“Our focus now is to be more active in the community,” she said. “We can spread the word through other agencies,”
Richmond County employers were invited to help with transportation, which is a common problem some run into in rural communities. Smalls said in areas without public transportation, many who are willing to work can’t get to the job sites without a ride.
The veterans’ cold-weather giveaway will be first-come, first-served.
For more information, call Smalls at 910-997-9180 or 910-276-4260, call Tonia Hildreth at 910-977-8232, call Dr. Carlotta Knotts at 910-410-1702 or call the Dobbims Heights Community Center at 910-582-6002.