A nonprofit that provides jobs and career training to people who struggled with homelessness moved to Long Island City this week.
The Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless (ACE) celebrated its 25-year anniversary by moving to a bigger space at 30-30 Northern Blvd. ACE, a nonprofit created in 1992, has helped approximately 2,500 New Yorkers secure full-time jobs. The nonprofit runs initiatives such as Adult Basic Education, a vocational rehabilitation program, and gives participants access to affordable housing.
Previously located in Manhattan, the ACE Center for Workforce Development moved to a 7,100-square-foot space in Queens that includes two classrooms for job training and education, a computer lab with 20 computers and a kitchen and common space.
Several Queens elected officials have worked with ACE to provide jobs to clients who clean and beautify major streets in Long Island City, Astoria, Woodside, Jackson Heights, Corona, East Elmhurst and Forest Hills. Recently, Senator Jose Peralta allocated $75,000 to hire two ACE clients to clean Roosevelt Avenue.
“The opening of ACE’s Center for Workforce Development in Long Island City, Queens means greater access to life-changing, job-skills training for men and women who are homeless,” said James Martin, ACE executive director. “We are proud to now call Queens home and look forward to giving back to this great community. ”
ACE’s programs include Adult Education Program, Project Comeback, Project Stay and Project Home.
Adult Education Program offers classes and workshops in literacy, numeracy, computer proficiency and job readiness and life skills development.
Project Comeback is a four- to six-month vocational rehabilitation program that provides recovering homeless individuals with skills and supported work experience.
Once clients graduate, they are provided with support groups and one-on-one counseling with a certified rehabilitation counselor through Project Stay. Monthly recreational events are also held to reunite with ACE staff.
Some graduates are also provided with a three-year rent subsidy and have to pursue education or job training in return as part of the Project Home.
For more information about ACE or to donate, visit the nonprofit’s website.
