Getting the unemployed back to work is the goal of a new program being rolled out by a partnership of local organizations.

The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness and Chapel Hill-based Community Empowerment Fund are joining forces to launch a new program called Job Partners.

“We’re starting Job Partners, which is a program that’s designed to combat unemployment in the Chapel Hill area through facilitating connections between local employers and community members,” says CEF’s Kaity Taylor.

Taylor says that Community Empowerment Fund started in 2009 by micro-financing loans to help people get back in the job market.

“We started offering savings opportunities [and] financial education, as a support for people who are looking to seek employment, housing, and financial freedom,” she says.

Jamie Rohe, with the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness, adds that there is one thing that stands out about the Job Partners program.

“[I’m impressed with] how relational they are. They will have one-on-one advocates working with their clients, sometimes two-on-one.”

Rohe says, “It’s so important and it’s so effective to make their clients feel like someone really cares about them. Somebody takes the time to learn about them.”

According to Taylor, maintaining those connections is paramount to the success of Community Empowerment Fund.

“CEF really focuses on developing those relationships, exploring those relationships, understanding the factors that are at work, and the things that are impacting people’s lives.”

Rohe adds that the relationship extends far beyond the job search.

“They work very hard to make people become job ready,” she says. “And then (they) really cream off the people who are ready and connect them to employers. And then maintain that connection after the people are employed, to make sure it’s working out.”

The organizations are looking for community members that live in Chapel Hill, have strong connections in the area, and are willing to use those connections to better the entire community.

If you would like more information on how to get involved, you can visit the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness website or call CEF at (919) 200-0233.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Grad Named to Forbes 30 Under 30
UNC graduate Patrick Mateer has been named to Forbes 30 under 30 List for Social Entrepreneurs, a list that recognizes young entrepreneurs leading businesses as a way to create positive change throughout the world. Mateer’s business, Seal the Seasons, makes local, seasonally grown crops such as strawberries and blackberries available year-round by freezing them and […]
'Together is The Only Path Forward': Orange County's Habitat for Humanity Hosts Affordable Housing Summit
Amid a shortage of affordable housing – both locally and nationally – the Orange County chapter of Habitat for Humanity recently held a summit to discuss how leaders can collectively aim to better address the issue.
Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025
This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.
Orange County Communities to Observe Martin Luther King Day Jan. 19. Here's How it Affects Services.
The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Most town offices will be closed Monday. Residential trash normally collected Monday will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 21. Curbside recycling collection will […]
Orange County Communities to Interrupt Services for December Holidays (2025)
Communities around Orange County will interrupt their normal service schedules during the upcoming winter holidays. Here’s what customers can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Town of Chapel Hill government offices will be closed from Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday, Dec. 26. Residential trash collection will not be affected. Yard trimmings will not be collected on […]
Orange County Board Makes CITEL Deal Official, Offers Tax Incentives
The Orange County Board of Commissioners passed an agreement with CITEL to move its American manufacturing operations to Hillsborough.
Orange County Authorities Find Missing Teenager After Brief Search
UPDATE: The Orange County Sheriff's Office said at 10:57 p.m. the missing child has since been located.
Soccer Fields and Open Space: Orange County Explores Potential Uses for Millhouse Road Site
Orange County is starting to make headway on a piece of land it has owned for two decades along Millhouse Road.
Thanksgiving Holiday to Affect Local Government Services in Orange County (2025)
Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, November 27 this year, and the holiday will affect several local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s a rundown of what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 are both town holidays. Residential trash collection will not be affected. However, there […]
Community Home Trust Recognized with Statewide Innovative Affordable Housing Award
An Orange County nonprofit recently took home a statewide award for helping make homes permanently affordable for a group facing eviction.
›