New opportunities

The Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center was founded in 1964. Helen Jay, who joined in 1965 and continues to work for the nonprofit to this day, feels ready for what’s next with this organization.

“It was a great past …but I’m also looking forward to the future,” Jay said.

Philadelphia OIC, located on 1231 N. Broad St., has been dedicated in helping unemployed, underemployed and homeless community members by providing free education, training and job placement. Now, with Dr. Kevin R. Johnson appointed as the new president and CEO back in January, he has confidence OIC will grow in its mission of giving people “a second chance.”

“There are people who come here who may have given up on themselves, even given up on life, but here at OIC, we help to restore hope,” said Johnson, the former pastor of Bright Hope Church near Temple Towers.

Temple students could also play a big role in this mission, as potential volunteers for OIC’s hospitality training program, Opportunities Inn, as well as GED education and computer literacy lessons.

On June 29, President Theobald met with Johnson at Philadelphia OIC to tour the building and learn about the work being done there, in an effort to build a closer relationship.

“Temple is really a neighbor,” Johnson said. “It is open and it’s a beginning conversation that Dr. Theobald and I will continue to have.”

Olga Palashnyuk, the employment development specialist for Philadelphia OIC, believes Temple’s close proximity is perfect for Temple students to get involved in a way that can help OIC participants beyond just getting them a job.

“I think that that sense of empowerment really just struck me as, ‘Wow, these are the kinds of things OIC can do,’” Palashnyuk said. “I think that’s what [OIC founder] Leon Sullivan would’ve wanted. He had a burning in his heart for helping people help themselves—that’s our motto—and he made it happen.”

Sullivan’s role in Philadelphia’s history is vast, as he is the namesake of Sullivan Progress Plaza, which includes Fresh Grocer and Citizens Bank, in addition to presiding over Zion Baptist Church on Broad and Venango streets from 1950 to 1988. But the key descriptor of Sullivan would be how he was “ahead of his time” in terms of giving opportunities to struggling residents, Jay said.

With hospitality job courses like room housekeeping and culinary arts, OIC students are prepared to work in the food and hotel industries after nine- and 16-week programs, respectively.

Jay, the life skills coach for Opportunities Inn, guides students with everything from holding mock interviews to teaching proper attitudes and teamwork—things they need in order to secure themselves a solid career.

Chalie Schmidt, the chef instructor for Opportunities Inn and former adjunct professor for Temple’s School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, has been “building” cooks with OIC for 20 years. The way he sees it, he has a responsibility of using his years of culinary experience to help his students build a relationship with the restaurant community even after graduation.

“So it really is beyond just the contractual obligation of getting people hired, it’s also helping them continue with their careers—it’s career-building,” Schmidt said.

With help from funding, Johnson also has plans in implementing programs that would provide students with jobs in other industries like energy, construction and manufacturing.

Besides these traditional jobs though, his vision also calls for getting students involved in the technology field, with hopes of starting OIC’s first-ever coding boot camp and creating co-working spaces to encourage tech entrepreneurship.

Albert Hong can be reached at albert.hong@temple.edu, 215.204.7416 or on Twitter @AtotheHONG.