SB 2008 Winners -- JVS

2011 |

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2011

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2008 Winners

James Bakheit
As a child, James and his family were forced to flee his native Sudan to escape civil war and religious persecution. He lived in refugee camps in Uganda for most of his life, finally reconnecting with his brother as a teenager. When he came to the United States in 2005, he needed work, but didn't know where to begin. James came to JVS, where he enrolled in the Retail Training Program, learning the basics of customer service and cash handling. When representatives from Safeway came to speak to his class, James jumped at the opportunity and applied for a job. He began work as a Deli Clerk less than three months after arriving in this country. James continues to work with JVS to further his career, using the Technology Access Center to enroll in college, and joining the LVN Refresher Program to move towards his goal of becoming a nurse. See James' story.

Christine Zhen
When Christine arrived from China in 2005, she knew she wanted to continue her career in banking, but she didn't have the skills needed to get a job in the U.S. She joined the pilot program of the JVS Banking Services Training program, where she improved her English and learned the nuances of American banking. Because of the bout of polio she had suffered as a child, Christine requires a scooter or crutches to get around. Christine had assumed that with her disability, the jobs she could get would keep her in the back out of sight, as she had been in China. When Sterling Bank & Trust offered to hire her straight out of our program, however, they placed her right in the front of her branch, where her infectious smile and winning personality have charmed co-workers and customers alike. See Christine's story.

Matthew Shultz
When he was a sophomore at UCLA, Matthew's life seemed straightforward: study hard, work out every day, and prepare for a successful career in law. A month later, a head-on collision changed all that. Regaining consciousness five months after the accident, Matthew had to begin the painstaking process of re-learning everything he thought he knew - walking, speech, even eating. The doctors thought he would never work again, but Matthew's determination has defied all expectations.Faced with the daunting process of a job search, the Department of Rehabilitation referred Matthew to the JVS Joblink program, which helped him update his resume and organize his job search. At the suggestion of JVS, Matthew went on informational interviews, including one at Canon Kip Senior Center. The staff of Canon Kip liked Matthew so much, they offered him first an internship and then a full-time job where he could put his education, his intelligence, and his outstanding people skills to good use. See Matthew's story.

Shiela Smith
Born into a household of neglect and drug addiction, Shiela was more likely to become a statistic than a success. But by the time she graduated high school and aged out of the foster care system, Shiela knew that with hard work, she could create a better future for herself. Unprepared to find more than the most basic of minimum-wage jobs, Shiela enrolled in the JVS Legal Employment Action Program, or LEAP. Through LEAP, she learned a professional set of job skills and was placed in an internship at NORCAL Mutual Insurance Company. NORCAL was so impressed with Shiela's quick mind, strong work ethic, and unbelievable drive that they hired her on full-time, and have since promoted her three times. Now 25, Shiela juggles her time between work, finishing up her college degree, and raising her young niece and nephew. See Shiela's story.

Laguna Honda Hospital
Time and time again, Laguna Honda Hospital has invested in its most valuable asset: its employees. From referring staff to JVS for training to adjusting the busy schedules of nurses so they can get to class to partnering with JVS to pilot innovative new programs that move their employees up the career ladder, Laguna Honda Hospital is committed to growing its own solution to the national nursing shortage, proving their commitment both to their employees and to their residents. See the Laguna Honda Hospital story.

Mission Pie
Since its opening in January of 2007, most of Mission Pie's employees have been JVS youth clients, special education students for whom this is one of their first real job experiences. The dedication of the business' staff to the growth and learning of their young employees made them a clear choice for the Business Leadership Award.While the name Mission Pie refers to its neighborhood, the choice of words is appropriate. Mission Pie is a small business that proves that you can do well and do good at the same time by serving pie with a mission: A mission to educate urban communities about the food system. A mission to support young people in their first job experiences. A mission to reach out to schools and organizations like JVS to create a network of support for its employees. And of course, a mission to serve healthy and delicious pie. See the Mission Pie story.

Copyright ©2010 Jewish Vocational Service. All Rights Reserved. 225 Bush Street, Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94104 (Map) Email: hire@jvs.org
JVS is a non-profit, non-sectarian 501(c)(3) corporation. JVS is a Beneficiary of the Jewish Community Federation,
and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.

James Bakheit		As a child, James and his family were forced to flee his native Sudan to escape civil war and religious persecution. He lived in refugee camps in Uganda for most of his life, finally reconnecting with his brother as a teenager. When he came to the United States in 2005, he needed work, but didn't know where to begin. James came to JVS, where he enrolled in the Retail Training Program, learning the basics of customer service and cash handling. When representatives from Safeway came to speak to his class, James jumped at the opportunity and applied for a job. He began work as a Deli Clerk less than three months after arriving in this country. James continues to work with JVS to further his career, using the Technology Access Center to enroll in college, and joining the LVN Refresher Program to move towards his goal of becoming a nurse. See James' story.
Christine Zhen		When Christine arrived from China in 2005, she knew she wanted to continue her career in banking, but she didn't have the skills needed to get a job in the U.S. She joined the pilot program of the JVS Banking Services Training program, where she improved her English and learned the nuances of American banking. Because of the bout of polio she had suffered as a child, Christine requires a scooter or crutches to get around. Christine had assumed that with her disability, the jobs she could get would keep her in the back out of sight, as she had been in China. When Sterling Bank & Trust offered to hire her straight out of our program, however, they placed her right in the front of her branch, where her infectious smile and winning personality have charmed co-workers and customers alike. See Christine's story.
Matthew Shultz		When he was a sophomore at UCLA, Matthew's life seemed straightforward: study hard, work out every day, and prepare for a successful career in law. A month later, a head-on collision changed all that. Regaining consciousness five months after the accident, Matthew had to begin the painstaking process of re-learning everything he thought he knew - walking, speech, even eating. The doctors thought he would never work again, but Matthew's determination has defied all expectations.Faced with the daunting process of a job search, the Department of Rehabilitation referred Matthew to the JVS Joblink program, which helped him update his resume and organize his job search. At the suggestion of JVS, Matthew went on informational interviews, including one at Canon Kip Senior Center. The staff of Canon Kip liked Matthew so much, they offered him first an internship and then a full-time job where he could put his education, his intelligence, and his outstanding people skills to good use. See Matthew's story.
Shiela Smith		Born into a household of neglect and drug addiction, Shiela was more likely to become a statistic than a success. But by the time she graduated high school and aged out of the foster care system, Shiela knew that with hard work, she could create a better future for herself. Unprepared to find more than the most basic of minimum-wage jobs, Shiela enrolled in the JVS Legal Employment Action Program, or LEAP. Through LEAP, she learned a professional set of job skills and was placed in an internship at NORCAL Mutual Insurance Company. NORCAL was so impressed with Shiela's quick mind, strong work ethic, and unbelievable drive that they hired her on full-time, and have since promoted her three times. Now 25, Shiela juggles her time between work, finishing up her college degree, and raising her young niece and nephew. See Shiela's story.
Laguna Honda Hospital		Time and time again, Laguna Honda Hospital has invested in its most valuable asset: its employees. From referring staff to JVS for training to adjusting the busy schedules of nurses so they can get to class to partnering with JVS to pilot innovative new programs that move their employees up the career ladder, Laguna Honda Hospital is committed to growing its own solution to the national nursing shortage, proving their commitment both to their employees and to their residents. See the Laguna Honda Hospital story.
Mission Pie		Since its opening in January of 2007, most of Mission Pie's employees have been JVS youth clients, special education students for whom this is one of their first real job experiences. The dedication of the business' staff to the growth and learning of their young employees made them a clear choice for the Business Leadership Award.While the name Mission Pie refers to its neighborhood, the choice of words is appropriate. Mission Pie is a small business that proves that you can do well and do good at the same time by serving pie with a mission: A mission to educate urban communities about the food system. A mission to support young people in their first job experiences. A mission to reach out to schools and organizations like JVS to create a network of support for its employees. And of course, a mission to serve healthy and delicious pie. See the Mission Pie story.