City Convene connects faith and local leaders to improve communities

 

 

Story By Lyndsey Schley

 

Business, government, non-profit and faith leaders came together to discuss ways they could work as a group on local social issues at the GoodCities City Convene conference Oct. 18 and 19  at St. George family Center in Akron, OH.

About 110 attendees came to collaborate in the event hosted by the Love Akron Network. The event offered attendees opportunities to learn from speakers who run successful community programs and to network and collaborate with other community members.

Pastoral Counseling Service consolidates in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood

Pastoral Counseling Service (PCS), Highland Square

 

 

Pastoral Counseling Service (PCS) is open for business at its new location at 611 W. Market St. in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood.

The agency provides mental health and addiction treatment services for children and adults. The new location consolidates PCS administrative offices, formerly located on Bowery Street and the Barbara M. Vassel Comprehensive Care Center, formerly located on Park Street.

Refugee employees prove profitable for local businesses

Story by Chris Miller

 

Many of Akron’s resettled refugees were restricted from working during their time in the camps. Now that they’ve resettled, they’re excited to enter the workforce and form a sense of identity and independence, says Tiffany Stacy, regional manager of employment services for the International Institute of Akron (IIA).

“A lot of our clients come from situations where they were refugees in countries where they did not have the right to work, so for many years they couldn’t work; all they could do was live off the food rations they were given,” she adds. “That has an effect on people; it’s demoralizing. You don’t feel a sense of control over your own destiny. When people get here, they’re very excited to get a job, they’re excited to work for something, to have a purpose. They come alive, their demeanor often changes.”