Eckerd Connects

🚀 Meet Philemon! Fresh out of high school, he joined our Youth Workforce Program, trained in precision machining, and secured a career opportunity at APEX CNC, LLC. His journey to self-sufficiency was made possible by supporters like YOU. Your gift helps young adults gain the skills and resources they need to break barriers and succeed. 💙 Give today: Https://Eckerd.org/Donate #SuccessStory #EmpowerPotential #CareerReady #EckerdConnects

Workforce Development Spotlight: Pinal County, Arizona What started as a simple re-entry program to help individuals transition back into the workforce has grown into a transformative initiative in Pinal County, Arizona. In October 2023, the Eckerd Connects team launched the Building Opportunities and Optimizing Success Together (BOOST) workshop—a 3-day program focused on identifying strengths, understanding values, and navigating the labor market. After receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, Pinal County expanded its partnership with Eckerd Connects in July 2024, funding additional positions to bring re-entry workforce expos and education directly into facilities. Key Outcomes & Impact: ✔ 74 justice-involved individuals enrolled ✔ 66 successfully completed BOOST ✔ 21 enrolled in Occupational Skills Training ✔ 47 received support services ✔ 23 participated in financial literacy training ✔ 9 engaged in transitional employment ✔ 34 secured unsubsidized employment Through partnerships with Goodwill, Coolidge Library Itinerant Services, and Pinal County’s diversion initiative, the program is making a lasting impact. In 2025, the team is working to expand services even further—helping more individuals find stability, employment, and success. 💙💚 Way to go, team! Your dedication is changing lives and strengthening communities. #EckerdConnects #WorkforceDevelopment #BOOST #ReentrySuccess #EmpoweringPotential #BuildingCareers

Eckerd Connects provides a full continuum of life-changing behavioral health, child welfare services and workforce development through multiple offices and facilities nationwide that strengthen families, assist young adults, and help children succeed. Join us and make a difference as our next Residential Advisor in Denison, IA. https://bit.ly/4kEjWpT #ResidentialAdvisor #JobCorps

💚💙 Healthy Heart Choices Reflected by Enthusiast Eckerd Connects Teams 💙💚 As our Wellness Team challenged employees to show off what their teams were doing to raise awareness during American Heart Month, they shared a grim statistic from the Centers for Disease and Prevention: One person dies every 33 seconds as a result of cardiovascular disease. 💖 They also shared that 80 percent of this disease can be prevented. While a serious topic, our winning teams had a lot of fun joining together. Here are February’s final winners who chose to participate in Red Awareness Day. ❤This day encourages people to wear red to show their support for heart health. “Coastal Chatham has joined in the fun to celebrate Heart Awareness. For our Red Awareness Day, we decided not only to wear red but also to come up with a list of activities to help us love on our hearts more. We couldn’t have made it any better without the help of the Youth GED participants, who created our lovely backdrop (and, of course, they’re rooting for our team to win to get more snacks in the office). We also made hearts to advertise what "My Heart is." “Good afternoon! Here are some of my work besties at PJCC, observing Wear Red Day. Thanks for the opportunity to score free lunch!” 📢 Thanks to all our program participants from Child & Family Services to Workforce Development and Job Corps for helping spread the word about healthy hearts! #EckerdConnects #PoweredbyEckerdConnects #HealthyHeart #AmericanHeartMonth #EmpoweringPotential

Strengthening Chicago’s Workforce: Paul Simon Job Corps Advocates on Capitol Hill The #PaulSimonChicagoJobCorps is dedicated to equipping young adults with the skills they need to thrive in high-demand careers, fueling economic growth, and strengthening the American workforce. Recently, campus leadership had the opportunity to meet with Representatives Danny Davis and Delia Ramirez, as well as Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth’s offices, to discuss the transformative impact of Job Corps in Illinois. Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps empowers students with high school completion, career certifications, driver’s licenses, and real-world training in fields like healthcare, construction, and advanced manufacturing. Our strong employer partnerships ensure that graduates don’t just learn a trade—they launch successful careers with local and national employers who are eager to hire skilled professionals. By investing in workforce training today, we’re shaping a more prosperous tomorrow for Chicago’s next generation of workers. #PaulSimonChicagoJobCorps #WorkforceDevelopment #PoweringProsperity #JobCorpsWorks #EmpoweringPotential #BuildingCareers

🔹 Empowering Potential. Building Careers. Every day, individuals face obstacles that hold them back from achieving their dreams. But YOU can be the difference. Your support provides essential tools—interview attire, laptops, housing assistance, and more—to help people build a brighter future. 💙 Join us in making an impact. Please support us today! 🔗 Donate: Https://Eckerd.org/Donate #EckerdConnects #EmpowerPotential #BuildCareers #MakeADifference

Do you have a heart for making a difference in the lives of others? Join us in our mission to inspire and guide them toward a path of success. Check out this rewarding career opportunity! Details: Registered Nurse (RN) in Denison, IA https://bit.ly/42fwexA #MakeADifference #EckerdConnects

🚧 Shawn: Overcoming Obstacles Through Eckerd Connects’ Prevention Services 🚧 11-year-old Shawn comes from a hard-working, low-income family that can’t afford any luxuries. ⏱ He has struggled with extreme shyness and a lack of self-confidence throughout his young life, and his grades suffered. 🌟 This determined young man entered the Eckerd Connects’ Prevention Hi-Five Brevard County program in fourth grade, hoping to conquer his personal barriers. 🎨 Thanks to the program, Shawn learned to express his feelings through art, and he’s gone from not talking in class to becoming an active participant. ➕➖ His grades are improving, especially in math and he now socializes with friends. 🥇 Receiving the Eckerd Connects’ Success Award makes it possible for Shawn to take his parents and little brother on a dream vacation, a weekend trip to Universal Studios in Orlando. 📢 Shawn shared: “It makes me feel happy and special that I am being recognized… Being in Eckerd Connects’ services has helped me to be more social and believe in myself more… I like who I am. I like that I’ve improved my socializing. I used to not know for sure if what I had to say mattered. Now I believe it does.” It’s been wonderful watching Shawn grow from silent and shy to socially confident! We see a very bright future ahead. Learn more about Shawn here. https://lnkd.in/eM44m_fZ #EckerdConnectsPreventionServices #PreventionServices #SuccessAwards #EckerdConnectsSuccessAwards #SuccessStory #EmpoweringPotential #BuildingCareers

📢 Celebrating Sportsmanship at Eckerd Connects’ Camp E-Nini-Hassee 📢 💚💙 At E-Nini-Hassee, we help at-risk girls through a therapeutic program offering safety, adventure, education, and nurturing guidance. 🏈 In preparing for the Camp Superbowl game, the girls took their training for the big event seriously, honing their athletic and communication skills. Ultimately, it all paid off as they played an amazing and action-packed game. 🎉 It was hard to tell if they enjoyed the game or the after-game party more! This program is for girls who are struggling with school, family conflicts, depression, or emotional and behavioral issues. 🥾 To learn more about E-Nini-Hassee, visit: https://lnkd.in/gxfEsSn #E-Nini-Hassee #EckerdConnects #AtRiskTherapy #OutdoorAdventures #PoweredbyEckerdConnects #EmpoweringPotential #BuildingConfidence

👩🏽🎓 Meet Kamary: From Uncertain Young Mom to Purposeful Professional 👩🏽🎓 When Kamary began her journey with Eckerd Connects’ Workforce Development Achieve More and Prosper (AMP) Program in 2021, this determined young woman was on a mission to find a career path to provide for herself and her daughter. 🦮 After learning that Kamary had a passion for healthcare like her mother, our team enrolled her in The Rachael Ray Foundation™ Pathways to Careers in Animal Health certificate program. Kamary immersed herself in the training, gaining hands-on experience in clinical, emergency and shelter settings. That was just the beginning. Kamary’s first professional role as a Home Health Care Aide continued to nurture her passion for helping others in the healthcare field. ⚡ By 2023, Kamary’s unwavering commitment paid off when she secured a patient care associate position at The Ohio State University’s James Cancer Center—a real milestone in her career journey. Yet she hungered for more. 💊 In 2024, our Eckerd Connects Ohio team enrolled her in the Pharmacy Technician training program made possible by a national partnership with CVS Health. She excelled to the degree that CVS Health recently offered her a part-time job that promises continued growth and opportunity. 🌞 Now 25, Kamary is thrilled to embark on her new journey, planning to work both jobs with her trademark dedication and enthusiasm. 📢 Kamary shared: “Before Eckerd Connects, I felt lost and stuck, and didn’t know what to do. My amazing Career Coach, Ella, was great about really listening and genuinely caring about my goals—she provided reliable help and support. It felt good to get a sense of direction from the program. I’m extremely grateful.” 🏠 Eckerd Connects also assisted Kamary with housing assistance, making it possible for her to rent a house next door to her mother. Today, Kamary says that she feels like a ‘real go-getter.’ 🚀 Her story is a powerful reminder that with determination, the right support, and a commitment to personal growth, every obstacle can be transformed into an opportunity for success. ⚡ Congratulations, Kamary—we know you are just getting started on what will be an incredible career and life for your young family! #EckerdConnectsWorkforceDevelopment #PoweredByEckerdConnects #WorkforceDevelopment #SuccessStory #CVSHealth #EmpoweringPotential #BuildingCareers