The REFORM Alliance and Hire! Philly announced that they will host the “REFORM Alliance Philadelphia Job Fair” at the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday, June 9th to revive the city’s workforce and economy. The Philadelphia 76ers, Amazon, Fanatics, NAACP Philadelphia, and Wells Fargo Center are all supporting the event.
The job fair, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT, is accessible to the public and aims to provide a critical channel for formerly jailed people, single parents, and veterans to find work. Poverty alleviation, expungement assistance, and workforce development programs will also be available at the event. According to recent research co-released by Fines and Fees Justice Center and REFORM Alliance, two out of every three people on probation earn less than $20,000 per year, with over 40% earning less than $10,000. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia’s 12.2 percent average unemployment rate is 50 percent higher than the national average.
“Jobs mean strong families, safe communities, and a healthy economy,” said Robert Rooks, CEO of REFORM Alliance. “System-impacted people constitute a ready and willing workforce but face significant barriers to employment. With this job fair, we want to empower people with hope, dignity, confidence, and access to opportunity so that they can thrive.”
“People need jobs to provide for themselves and support their families. Yet too many Philadelphians are locked out of the economy because of their criminal history or other barriers,” said Jessica Jackson, Chief Advocacy Officer of REFORM Alliance. “This job fair is an opportunity to break down those barriers and help anyone trying to get back on their feet. We have an amazing group of partners, volunteers and employers ready to make this a one stop shop for a better future.”
“At Hire! Philly we believe that connecting people to employment is the first step in placing them on a path to economic mobility. However, having access to quality jobs is far too often a challenge for people with significant barriers such as a criminal background. So we work very intentionally to design hiring events that meet job seekers where they are and include access to community resources that address workforce barriers,” said Kathryn Epps Roberson, Executive Director of Hire! Philly. “Attendees will be able to engage with dozens of our employer and community partners during the event but will also be able to maintain those connections and access additional job opportunities through our web-based employment support platform, PropelPHL, beyond the event.” This is the second job fair hosted by REFORM Alliance. Last year, Roc Nation and REFORM collaborated on an employment and resource event at Madison Square Garden in New York.
