NCWorks Career Centers’ ongoing support for military veterans seeking employment takes a healthy turn thanks to a new partnership with The Produce Box, a local organization that sells and distributes fresh produce grown by North Carolina farmers.
The Produce Box, located in Raleigh, turned to NC Commerce’s Workforce Solutions team for help after searching for unique ways the company could assist veterans. The two organizations agreed to provide complimentary boxes of fresh produce to out-of-work vets and their families through the state’s career centers, which already work closely with veterans to help them find jobs and training programs.
“We’re working hard to make North Carolina the state of choice for vets, in ways both large and small,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla III. “While our main focus is to connect veterans with training programs and job opportunities, this gift from The Produce Box provides an additional helping hand.”
“We are so proud that our members support their communities through The Produce Box,” said Courtney Tellefsen, founder and chief executive officer of the Produce Box. “Donating our Hero Boxes to veterans was a new effort for us this year, and we were glad to give back to those who mean so much to our country.”
This month, 114 boxes of fresh produce were distributed to veterans through the career centers in Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem.
CeJae Briscoe, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and Air Force, was one recipient of the distribution. Briscoe used the NCWorks Career Center in Raleigh to connect with a job opportunity at Volunteers for America. A single mother of two children, Briscoe recently accepted a full-time position—also a promotion—at Passage Home, one of the organization’s sister agencies.
“Had I never come here,” Briscoe said, referring to her career center, “I would have never known about either.”
“As a part of NCWorks, we are committed to improving the lives of our vets by helping to connect them to jobs and training after they’ve left the service,” said Will Collins, assistant secretary for workforce solutions. “These produce boxes are one of the many ways we can express our gratitude to the brave men and women who have served our country.”
NC Workforce Solutions is a part of the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
NCWorks
The NCWorks initiative includes the NC Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions, the NCWorks Commission, the NC Department of Public Instruction, and the North Carolina Community College System. The goal is to create a stronger alignment of services and resources to meet the workforce needs of businesses, connect North Carolinians to technical training and quality careers, and use data to monitor and assess program outcomes. For more information about NCWorks, visit nccommerce.com/ncworks.
For more information about NC Workforce Solutions, visit nccommerce.com/workforce.
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