Free Resources to Help Those Unemployed

It can be frustrating trying to find help and resources when you have lost your job. Your main focus is trying to figure out how you will pay your bills, explain the layoff to your family and how to keep your sanity instead of being depressed or resorting to drugs or alcohol.

The key to surviving unemployment is to set goals that can help you gain employment again. Let everyone you met or know that you are looking for a job. Eliminate the negative thoughts and negative people in your life. Don't give up hope. If you believe you will find a job you will. Here are some free resources to help those who are currently unemployed or will become umemployed in the near future.

Career Services
1. Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA) – mental health services, home health & hospice care, career services, adoption services, etc., 301-816-2683

2. Career Service One Stop, servicelocator.org

Vocational Counseling & Job Placement
Contact your local YMCA at ymca.net/maps/ for services for divorced, separated, widows and disabled including educational & vocational counseling, job aptitude testing, resume writing, job placement assistance, life skills, computer classes, additional programs for women and families

Women's Clothing for Interviews
Dress for success locations in 30 cities in the U.S., dressforsuccess.org (click on locations)

Men's Clothing for Interviews
Career Gear locations in the U.S, careergear.org that provides clothing, career counseling and workshops with offices in NY, DC, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New Haven, CT

Job Training for the Elderly
1. Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), Office of Special Targeted Programs, Employment & Training Administration, 202-219-5500 or 877-872-5627 – the program provides training and employment assistance and transition support

2. Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), 877-872-5627 (877-US2-JOBS) – provides counseling and training and places elderly in part-time and full-time positions

Free Computer Training – check with your local libraries or visit
1. servicelocator.org/, click on Education and Training to find computer training

2. intelligentedu.com/cat1.html (scroll to the middle of the page), intelligentedu.com/blogs/index.html

Free Computers
1. freebyte.com/free_computers/

2. freecycle.org

3. California, Yellow Network Coalition, ync.org

4. Dallas, Texas, Texas Center for the Physically Impaired (TCPI), handicapability.org/computers.html, provides computers, free of charge, (with a $100 donation) to the visually impaired

5. Raymond, Ohio, Student PC's, studentpcsonline.com/ computer repair and used computers for handicapped children

6. St. Louis, Missouri, WITS, witsinc.org/Free%20Computers.html, provides free computers to children and the elderly.

Special Government Projects for Retirees Senior Environment Program (SEE)
1. American Association of Retired Persons, 202-434-6153

2. National Association for Hispanic Elderly, 213-487-1922

3. National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, 202-637-8400

4. National Council of Senior Citizens, 202-347-8800

5. National Council on Aging, 202-479-1200

6. National Pacific and Asian Resource Center on Aging, 206-448-0313

7. U.S. Forest Service, Dept. of Agriculture, Human Resource Programs (SCSEP program), 703-235-8855

Journeyman (Apprenticeship) Jobs
Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, Dept of Labor, 202-219-5921 or 202-693-2700, with offices in each state, doleta.gov/indvi/apprent.htm

Free Money for Re-training or additional training under the Economic Dislocation and Worker Adjustment Assistance Act (Dislocated Workers), (202) 693-3500 - provides retraining and assistance for employees including those who worked for the Dept of Defense, Dept of Energy and Defense contactors.

Unit Coordinators by State, doleta.gov/layoff/rapid_coord.cfm, doleta.gov/layoff/workers.cfm

Training for Veterans, Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), 202-693-4701