With today's spiraling unemployment, there is one new organization on Long Island trying to make a difference - The Long Island Breakfast Club. Founded in 2006 the club focuses on men and women who have been recently forced out of positions and are searching for productive employment.
While Long Island unemployment is less than the national average of around 8 percent. Still - a 6.5 percent rate of unemployment leaves many families at serious risk in these perilous times. Searching for a job in the current conditions becomes even more difficult.
That is where The Breakfast Club came into the picture. Founded by four women and one man - all who were downsized out of six figure salaries because of the current economic times. And they also had in common the age of being over 40. The group first came together to support one another as each worked to seek new employment.
One interesting footnote to the origins of the club happened at a diner where the start up group was having breakfast. As the group lingered after breakfast, they were asked to leave - taking up too much space. That was it. From there The Long Island Breakfast Club was founded.
As I explored the work of the organization, this interesting quote, from the club's website hit me as very profound. "Although it is not uncommon for people to frequently change jobs, it is a struggle for middle age seekers to gain employment." How true that statement is today.
By the way, in addition to support, encouragement, counseling and coaching, the club provides laughter - a commodity, which can be very supportive for job seekers in this climate. Speakers at the breakfasts have ranged from financial experts to government officials and from authors of books to leaders in counseling.
One other area in which the Club has participated relates to a documentary film produced to fight age discrimination in hiring across the nation. Four members of the club appear in the film.
Valentina Janek, president of The Breakfast Club, summed up the club's work when she told me, "It is time for corporate America and small and medium business owners to step up to the plate and hire experienced people who live on Long Island and keep the workforce diverse with midlife individuals. People in career changes and over 40 make the best workers. They are engaged, interested and willing to work hard."
If you would like to know more about The Long Island Breakfast Club and upcoming events, take a few minutes and go to the website: www.longislandbreakfastclub.org.
