Our YouthBuild Program on WV Public Broadcasting!

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Us & Them: Reconnecting West Virginia’s Disconnected Youth

See below or use this link to view on WV Pubic’s website.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting | By Trey Kay, 
Kyle Vass
Published May 27, 2021 at 7:30 AM EDT
Disconnected Youth - Image
Lalena Price
Disconnected Youth

There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, working, or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are disconnected youth and West Virginia has one of the highest rates in the nation — 17 percent.

It’s a tough group to track down because there’s a stigma attached to this status; however, a few programs are trying to bridge this gap by connecting with young people and giving them a pathway and the support they need to train for a job and a career.

On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores why some young West Virginians struggle so much to move forward. We’ll also hear from a few Mountain State leaders who talk about how we might help them.

YouthBuild-Elkins-210508.jpg
Michelle Phares
Dayton Eisenhart and his fellow crewmates show furniture they’ve constructed while at YouthBuild in Elkins, W.Va.

 

RCHA is hiring!

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RCHA has 2 positions available.   We have a part-time Program Assistant position open as well as a full time Job Coach for our WORC program.   Please view and apply through Indeed.

HUD COMMEMORATES NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH 2021

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HUD NEWS                              

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Marcia L. Fudge, Secretary

Office of Public Affairs, Washington, DC 20410

HUD No. 21-050                                                                                            FOR RELEASE

HUD Public Affairs                                                                                       Thursday

202-708-0685                                                                                                 April 1, 2021

HUD.gov/Press

 

HUD COMMEMORATES NATIONAL FAIR HOUSING MONTH 2021

 

Click here to watch Secretary Fudge’s video statement on Fair Housing Month.

 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today kicked off Fair Housing Month 2021. This year’s Fair Housing Month theme, Fair Housing: More Than Just Words, reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing equity in housing and the importance of increasing public awareness of everyone’s right to fair housing.

“Fair Housing Month is a time to recommit to our nation’s obligation to ensure that everyone has equal access to safe, affordable housing,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Unfortunately, housing discrimination still exists, from individuals and families being denied a place to call home because of the color of their skin or where they come from, to landlords refusing to allow persons with disabilities to keep assistance animals, to individuals being denied a place to live because of who they love. In this moment of unprecedented crisis, fair housing is more important than ever. 53 years after the Fair Housing Act was signed, our journey to justice in housing continues.”

Each April, HUD, local communities, fair housing advocates, and fair housing organizations across the country commemorate Fair Housing Month by hosting an array of activities that highlight HUD’s fair housing enforcement efforts, enhance Americans’ awareness of their fair housing rights, and emphasize the importance of ending housing discrimination.

Secretary Fudge will commemorate Fair Housing Month with a virtual celebration on April 7th at 2 p.m. Eastern time that will also feature the Justice Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Pamela Karlan; HUD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, Jeanine Worden; and HUD Senior Advisor Alanna McCargo.

In addition to highlighting HUD’s enforcement activities, a central focus of this year’s commemoration with the Biden-Harris Administration’s pledge to end housing discrimination, provide redress to those who have experienced housing discrimination, to eliminate racial bias and other forms of discrimination in all stages of home-buying and renting, and to secure equal access to housing opportunity for all.

Last year, HUD and its Fair Housing Assistance Program partner agencies received more than 7,700 complaints alleging discrimination based on one or more of the Fair Housing Act’s seven protected classes: race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, and disability. During that period, the categories with the highest number of complaints were disability and race, respectively. HUD also received complaints that alleged lending discrimination as well as numerous complaints from women who faced unfair treatment, including sexual harassment.

“Although the Fair Housing Act became law in 1968, we still have major challenges ahead of us,” said Jeanine Worden, HUD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “This April, on the 53rd anniversary of the Fair Housing Act, HUD is renewing its commitment to level the playing field so every person has the same opportunity to live where they choose and benefit from all of the opportunities this nation offers.”

For a complete listing of HUD Fair Housing Month events and activities, go to: www.hud.gov/FHM2021.

People who believe they have experienced discrimination may file a complaint by contacting HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at (800) 669-9777 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (Relay). Housing discrimination complaints may also be filed by going to hud.gov/fair housing.

Register with Amazon Smile to Help YouthBuild

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Did you know that your Amazon purchases can support a charitable organization? RCHA has set up an Amazon Smile account to benefit our

Youthbuild program. Just click on the link below and go through the steps to choose your charity. Choose “Highland Community Builders” as the charitable organization (they are the non-profit that our YouthBuild Endowment contributions go to.) Once you have your charity all set up, .5% of all of your purchases will go to the YouthBuild Endowment Fund as long as you purchase through your Amazon Smile account. Thanks for helping us help youth in our community!!! https://smile.amazon.com/.

Vehicles currently available for auction

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RCHA has 3 vehicles available for auction

Auction ends Friday, March 26th.  Vehicles must be collected and removed from RCHA property by April 9th.

**If you are interested in bidding or have already bid, please note that we are not aware of the running condition of the trucks and they will be sold AS-IS. It is up to the bidder to determine if the condition of the vehicle meets their needs. You can view the vehicles at 312 Kennedy Street in Elkins (YouthBuild parking lot) and keys will be available upon request on site Thursday between 7:00 and 3:00 only. If you have already submitted a bid, we will accept revised bids or a request to withdraw bids up until the auction deadline of March 26th at 4:00 pm. Thank you.

Please click on links for each vehicle for details and submit all bids to [email protected].

1999Dodge Ram Auction       

 

1996 Ford F350 Auction

1997 Subaru Auction      

 

Financial Education Event

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Event: Financial Education (FOC PROGRAM)

When: Fri Mar 26th 2:00pm – 3:30pm (EDT)

Where: Contact us to reserve your spot at the Learning Center (304) 940-3966

Full details at: https://tockify.com/worclc/detail/11/1616781600000

 

The Randolph County Housing Authority is happy to announce a partnership with Highland Community Builders to launch a Financial Opportunity Center, or FOC. The mission of the FOC is to help our clients reach their financial goals. We offer financial counseling to improve credit ratings, teach our clients savings techniques, and work to complete budgets to help you better manage your money. We can also offer employment coaching and income supports, where we help you navigate the workforce, meet with potential employers, and access additional resources and social services to help you with immediate funding. We believe that you would be a great candidate for the FOC based on your plans and goals that you have shared with us. If you would be interested in learning more about what this program can do for you, please feel free to respond to this email or call me at 304-940-3966.

SBA Emerging Leaders Program

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SBA Emerging Leaders Program — Now Accepting Applications for WV – Deadline is Feb. 25th

The Emerging Leaders Initiative is an executive-level series intended to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses in America’s underserved cities.  Developed by the SBA and drawing on the experiences of advisors and business leaders in urban communities across the country, this comprehensive curriculum provides the tools to assist business owners with catapulting their company to the next level and to help them to emerge as a force in their community.

The Emerging Leaders Virtual Program equips key decision makers with knowledge, tools, and networking connections to help to advance their business. Participants will leave with a better understanding of their business capacity through an individualized three-year growth plan.

Do I qualify to participate?

This training is for established business owners and is not for start-ups or people who are thinking about starting a business. The Emerging Leaders Initiative is an advanced training series open to small business owners and executives that:

  • Have annual revenues of at least $250,000
  • Have been in business for at least 3 years
  • Have at least one employee, other than self
  • Commit to one mid-morning meeting every other week from April to October online for approximately 100 hours of combined classroom time, homework, specialized workshops, and virtual meetings with peers and local business leaders.

 

How do I apply?

If interested, participants should complete the online application by the deadline of Thursday, February 25, 2021 at  https://www.interise.org/sbaemergingleaders and select Fairmont, WV under the Program Location pull-down menu.

Click here for additional information.

Businesses interested in SBA’s Emerging Leaders Program are invited to learn more by contacting Melissa Loder, program manager, at [email protected] or at (304) 623-7448.

Section 8 Waiting List is now Open

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Section 8 Waiting List Now Open

 

The waiting list for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program for rental assistance will open on Monday, February 8, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.  Procedures have changed due to COVID19.  There will be no walk-in applications taken.   Here is how you get started:

Click this link to complete the pre-application.  After the pre-application is submitted, you will be sent an application to complete and return.

Applications must be returned to our office drop box at 2280 Randolph Avenue Elkins, WV or by mail, received by the due date on the application. 

 Faxed and email copies of the application will not be accepted– we must have the original.  If the application is incomplete or not legible, applicants will not be placed on the waiting list. 

If you have questions, please call 304-636-6495 x.10 or TDD 304-637-7604.