New Community hosted dozens of new employees of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) June 12. The individuals from throughout the country learned about the services New Community provides, its history and its relationship with LISC.
“NCC and LISC have been partners since the 1980s. They have supported us with tax credit investments for housing construction, consulting to strengthen the organization and funding our Financial Opportunity Center, to name a few,” said New Community CEO Richard Rohrman. “They have been there for us and the relationship continues to grow. They are true reliable partners with a strong sense of mission.”
The visit was part of a three-day new hire orientation at LISC headquarters. The orientation is done two times per year, in the fall and spring. NCC hosted a group in November 2018 for the first time. The guests were served lunch at St. Joseph Plaza, NCC’s headquarters, and then took a tour of New Community Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI), both the main campus and the Training Center.
“We are so grateful to NCC for sharing their amazing work and time with our new staff during their recent site visit to Newark. In partnership with LISC, NCC continues to provide clear pathways to change for community residents,” said LISC President and CEO Maurice A. Jones. “It was an excellent opportunity for LISC staff from across the country to see first hand the success of NCC’s comprehensive approach and a great time was had by all.”
NCCTI works closely with Greater Newark LISC, the local office of the national nonprofit organization that provides a variety of support to community development corporations. LISC provides funding and technical assistance for the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), a relationship that began in 2015. The FOC helps community members better their financial situations. LISC also offers financial support and technical assistance for the Bridges to Career Opportunities (BCO) program for NCCTI, which helps students learn basic skills as they relate to their field of choice. Both the FOC and BCO are LISC models.
“The success of NCCTI’s FOC, BCO and career and technical programs is directly related to our partnership with Greater Newark LISC,” said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. “In the last several years, we’ve been able to expand course offerings, build greater capacity to our career and technical programs and help hundreds of clients improve their financial standing.”
The positive work being done with students at NCCTI has drawn attention from LISC leadership members, who have toured the FOC and NCCTI Training Center and have been impressed with the services being offered to the unemployed and underemployed.
“As well accustomed to NCC as I am, visiting routinely to work with our partner as a Newark 2020 community hub and a LISC Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Center site, I learn something new and awe-inspiring every time,” said Greater Newark LISC Program Officer Jerrah Crowder.
New Community is happy to serve as a model for LISC employees.
“Our work with LISC is a true and practical example of what a solid partnership consists of,” Brutton said.
NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school. For more information, visit newcommunitytech.edu or call 973-824-6484.
