Five Years of Serving Residents at Jobs-Plus Penn-Wortman

For five years, residents of Penn-Wortman Houses had a gem in the neighborhood just for them. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded a Jobs-Plus site at the development, which helped connect them to employment opportunities, education, financial counseling, and other supportive services close to home. Now that the contract has come to an end, Penn-Wortman residents and NYCHA staff reflect on how the program served residents. 

Penn-Wortman resident Hawaou Sane joined Jobs-Plus in 2017 and relied on the site and its staff for educational, financial, and employment assistance over the years. Through Jobs-Plus, Ms. Sane completed a GED program, participated in a Work Progress Program (WPP) internship, got help with applying for and receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit, benefitted from extensive financial counseling, and secured job opportunities.  

“They’re like a family to me and they helped me with a lot,” Ms. Sane said. “They mostly encouraged me, helped with my job search, and helped with decreasing our rent [via the Jobs-Plus Earned Income Disregard] to make things a little easier. When I was struggling looking for jobs, I would go there and ask for opinions, and they always supported me. They’ve helped a lot of people and were always so kind.” Ms. Sane also said that the site helped her siblings as well, and that all young people should have the encouragement and support of programs like Jobs-Plus. 

Jobs-Plus operates either on-site at target NYCHA developments or within walking distance. Brooklyn-based nonprofit Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation was the service partner for the Penn-Wortman site, providing over 400 members 18 years and older with employment-related services, financial incentives, free tax preparation, and community support for work, as well as additional services such as mental health and legal aid referrals. This site also served residents between the ages of 14 and 17. Program staff supported members by hosting community success events and by providing ongoing case management. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jobs-Plus staff continued to provide services – and they delivered 78 tons of food to the development, conducted ongoing wellness calls to members, and provided face masks and other PPE to residents.  

Shawn Abrams, Senior Zone Coordinator for NYCHA REES, formerly worked for Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation as the program manager for Jobs-Plus Penn-Wortman.  

“Penn-Wortman in one word is resilient,” Mr. Abrams said. “We have many stories of members who faced numerous setbacks but rallied to overcome them.” 

Longtime Penn-Wortman resident Elizabeth Fiqueroa joined Jobs-Plus in 2018 and was the most active member of the program. She is sergeant-at-arms for the Penn-Wortman Tenants Association and for seven years has run a community garden that provides fresh produce and programming for children. 

“Jobs-Plus gave me everything I needed,” Ms. Figueroa said. “They gave me the tools and the training to learn and do what I needed. They taught me how to use the computer. I would tell them I needed a grant, and they would set me up at the computer and show me how to write a grant for my garden, how to do graphics for t-shirts and hats for the garden. If I needed anything, the Jobs-Plus staff was there; they even lent me the tent for my garden to shield kids from the sun.” 

Penn-Wortman converted to NYCHA’s PACT program, which will modernize the development with $430 million in much-needed renovations, new property management, and enhanced social services while maintaining affordable rent and resident protections. Penn-Wortman residents will be provided social services through Stanley Avenue Preservation by its service provider University Settlement, located at 914 Van Siclen Avenue, which offers emergency rental assistance and eviction prevention services, case management, HRA/Social Security application services, financial literacy programs, and referrals for mental and physical health services, childcare, and court advocacy. 

For more information about Jobs-Plus and to view a list of Jobs-Plus service providers and the NYCHA developments they serve, visit http://opportunitynycha.org/workforce-development/jobs-plus/.