Gather your resume and plan to dress for success for the Men on a Mission Opportunity Job and Resource Fair.
Slated from 3-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Monroe County Opportunity Center at the Arthur Lesow Community Center (ALCC), 120 Eastchester St. in Monroe, attendees will have the opportunity to meet local employers and access free community resources. Free food and childcare will also be provided.
Men on a Mission is a new local community group made up of 11 community members known as the “Core 11.” The group works to provide resources and guidance with a focus on education and skill development.
An overdose death in the community prompted a conversation between Aaron Lavender, community leader, and Chad Tolstedt, director of public safety at the City of Monroe, to start the group.
The men brainstormed on ways to positively impact the lives of people around them and focus on meaningful change rather than simply reacting to crises.
“We can’t afford to have these deaths in our community,” Aaron Lavender said. “I started to think about who should be in this group. I thought about men I grew up idolizing as mentors to me. I said I had to reach out to these guys to help me build something here.”
Lavender and Tolstedt contacted other community members who shared their vision and explored ways to support neighborhoods, individuals and families.
Organized about three months ago, members include Larry Aaron, Roosevelt Barnes, Keith Dotson, Willie Hall, Anthony Hoskins, Lavender, Manuel “Lito” Mendez, William Parker, Stephan Pietszak, Ike Smith and Tolstedt.
“Our goal became helping people find a path toward a more positive lifestyle, guiding them into opportunities, careers, or choices that could turn their lives around — even if they had made mistakes in the past,” Tolstedt said in an email. “We firmly believe in second chances, third chances and even fourth chances, and that with the right guidance, people can create lasting change.”
Lavender’s love for the community that raised him is what drives him to want to make a difference.
He acknowledges the presence of drug houses and dealers in the community and said one of the root issues is lack of jobs and resources. He wants to eliminate the excuses.
“After getting this group together, one of the first things we’re doing is a job and resource fair,” Lavender said. “We reached out to Michigan Works! and became a new initiative at MCOP as mentors. I can’t thank MCOP enough. That’s how all this got started.”
“The men who are part of this group have an incredible heart for service and it’s truly an honor to work alongside them to make a positive impact in our community,” Tolstedt said.
“We can’t do this alone,” Lavender added. “It takes a village. It’s Men on a Mission but it’s also the community on a mission.”
More information about the job fair and a list of participating employers and resources is available on the Opportunity Center at ALCC Facebook page
From 1-3p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, Men on a Mission will be helping at MCOP’s mobile food pantry at the Monroe Charter Township Hall, 4925 E. Dunbar Road.
— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Men on a Mission to host job and resource fair Nov. 5
Reporting by Lisa Vidaurri Bowling, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
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