The Bristol Workforce Investment Board (WIB), Fall River Career Center, B.M.C Durfee High School, Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Mayor Robert Correia, sponsored the third Fall River Job-a-thon on May 6, 2008 at Fall River Ford. Over twenty-five business and community leaders volunteered at this event to call upon employers to pledge summer youth job opportunities. Volunteers also accepted tax-deductible donations to help support youth wages in summer community service jobs. Staff from the Fall River Career Center and the B.M.C. Durfee counseling staff spent the afternoon making calls to dozens of potential employers. The idea for the Job-a-thon originated with the B.M.C. Durfee High School Peaceful Coalition, who argued that the best way to reduce gang violence in Fall River is to offer jobs to local youth. then Mayor Lambert, agreed to meet their challenge by organizing an effort that identified jobs for local youth. Click here for photos of last year's event. For more information, contact the Bristol WIB at 508-675-1165.
 

(Top row, left) Fall River School Superintendent Nicholas Fischer is greeted by Fernando Garcia, owner of Fall River Ford who hosts the Job-a-Thon each year. (Top row, center) Durfee High Schools career specialists Tina Shorette, and Kerry LaCharity get the team ready to make calls to area businesses to solicit summer jobs for youth. (Top row, right) Diane Medeiros of Citizens-Union Bank and Fall River Youth Services Coordinator Christian McCloskey make contacts with business prospects. (Middle row, left) Kerry makes a positive contact with a local businessman. (Middle row, right) Durfee guidance staff members Kim Napalitano and Rachel Fellows check their phone logs while Director of Guidance Aimee Bronhard works in another office. (Bottom row, left) Tina Shorette talks with Durfee guidance staff member Denise Boland. (Bottom row, center) Sara Levesque, a Quaker re-employment worker from the Fall River Career Center, is happy with the response she is getting. (Bottom row, right) Durfee guidance staff member Tony Rego checks his call log with Bristol WIB Youth Systems Coordinator Kathryn Politano.