Opportunity Junction News

Between working to support her family and training at Opportunity Junction, Connie was only sleeping two hours each night. She soon discovered it would all pay off…

This year, give a gift that makes double the impact and make a difference for generations to come. Give the gift of opportunity this holiday season.

Opportunity Junction recently welcomed five new staff members to the team. We’re pleased to introduce Alicia Quay, Cameron Hayes, Jamie Mackh, Kim Weaver, and Michael Caudillo.

Opportunity Junction is helping job seekers and employers alike with the rollout of a NEW “5 Steps to Inclusive Hiring” training and toolkit for success.

We are proud and grateful to announce the following new grants and funding partnerships:

Zenia Brown had tried other educational programs to help her launch a career, but in the Administrative Careers Training (ACT) program she learned the skills she really needed and set a goal of becoming the top student in class…

Responding to valuable feedback from our participants, we have adjusted the Administrative Careers Training (ACT) program to make it even more accessible and impactful for aspiring professionals.

As an organization that serves the community, Opportunity Junction has its community to thank for its 23 years of successfully placing motivated job seekers into employment. That community includes countless volunteers and partners, like Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa.

In tribute to our recently retired former president and CEO, Opportunity Junction has unveiled a new fund that will directly support motivated job seekers in Contra Costa County.

As political scientist and author Kalu Ndukwe Kalu once said, “The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” How will you be remembered?

We are proud and grateful to announce the following new grants and funding partnerships...

Mary Mei was in a bad place before she came to Opportunity Junction. She had been through a divorce, and after 20 years as a stay-at-home mother, she had a significant gap in her work experience history.

Our 2023 Imagine Gala fundraiser was a tremendous success, raising an incredible, record-breaking $208,000! It marked our first in-person gala since April 2019, and the atmosphere was electric.

The Administrative Careers Training (ACT) Program is excited to announce the upcoming graduation ceremony of its 70th class on Friday, May 26, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the El Campanil Theatre, located at 602 W 2nd St, Antioch, CA 94509.

“ What truly inspires me every day is witnessing the incredible impact we make in the lives of our clients.” – Brianna Robinson, President and CEO

We are proud and grateful to announce the following new grants and funding partnerships…

Julien Frost wasn’t sure they wanted to pursue Opportunity Junction’s Administrative Careers Training (ACT) program after they first enrolled in May last year. In addition to a splitting headache on the first day of class, prior educational experiences that didn’t align with their needs had left a negative impression.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Brianna Robinson as Opportunity Junction’s next president and CEO following an extensive six-month search.

The Newsmakers Lesher Speaker Series recently selected Opportunity Junction as its nonprofit partner for an event featuring guest speaker Right Honorable Theresa May, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Come work for an organization that’s making a difference in your community! At Opportunity Junction, we believe that everyone who works hard deserves the opportunity to succeed. We help motivated Contra Costa job seekers gain the skills and confidence to launch careers leading to financial security.

Dear Opportunity Junction Community, This will be my final dispatch from the “CEO Corner.” After 22 years here, I will be transitioning to the role of Senior Advisor to our new CEO.

We are proud and grateful to announce the following new grants and funding partnerships:

Even though single mother of four Nanaushika McGee enjoyed her job at an elementary school, she was ultimately interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. But the timing was never right, and many training options were cost prohibitive. It didn’t seem attainable.

Thank you, Opportunity Junction Supporters, for your 2022 Holiday donations! Altogether, including $35,000 in matching funds from Delta Scrap & Salvage (a $5,000 increase from years prior), 207 donors contributed more than $202,000 to support our programs and services. We are so thankful to every one of you, including 12 alumni donors and 38 new donors who joined us this year.

Opportunity Junction will soon honor the hard work and dedication of its Administrative Careers Training (ACT) program students, and the public is invited to attend the graduation ceremony. The graduation ceremony for ACT Class 69 will take place on Friday, Jan. 27, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the El Campanil Theater, 602 W. Second St., Antioch.

Dear Opportunity Junction Community, I joined Opportunity Junction in May 2001 as the Project Manager working with our Administrative Careers Training (ACT) interns. My job was to manage, mentor, train, and deploy the interns on outsourced administrative projects for local companies. We were seeking real world work experience.

We are proud and grateful to announce the following new grants and funding Partnerships.

Maria Capote wanted more for her kids. Prior to coming to Opportunity Junction, she and her family of six were living off one income, and she longed for the ability to do more exciting things for her children to experience, such as traveling to new places. She felt limited in her ability to provide them with the lIfe she’d always dreamed of having for her family.

Our Holiday Campaign raises critical funds to provide year-round opportunities for local job seekers to gain professional skills, work experience, and a new-found confidence.

The pandemic threw our world upside down, and our Tech Center, which had to pivot to online service delivery, was not immune to the impact. Yet despite the challenges brought on by COVID-19, we’ve used that time to develop exciting new courses for learners throughout the community.