The young man came to Shepherd Community Center’s first community resource fair on July 25 desperate to find a job and to find something to eat.

The man’s mother died when he was only 6 years old; his father is in prison. Seemingly alone and without regular access to necessities, the man found help at Shepherd that day.

“He has an appointment with Fathers and Family to help with his GED,” Jackie Cissell, a development officer with Shepherd, said. “Neighbors from various segments of our neighborhood, seniors, single parents, grandparents with little ones, and Haitian refugees were here looking for help.”

The fair drew 109 neighbors who connected with 27 vendors. One of the highlights involved 18 neighbors who signed up with Abby Care, an organization that helps people providing care for family members with special needs and medical conditions receive compensation from Medicaid.

“I am so excited about connecting one of our Project Jordan moms with Abby Care,” Cindy, a Shepherd volunteer, said. “She has two children who have many physical needs that mean she is taking them to many doctor’s appointments and therapies. Abby Care will pay her $17 an hour for 15 hours a week to care for her children. This mom has been so weighed down by her children’s needs and not being able to work as a result and therefore struggling to make ends meet. God is so good to open this door for her.”

Similar life-changing encounters were reported on the day of the fair and beyond.

“I called a young lady (the day after the fair) to inform her that her name had been pulled for the $50 drawing,” Ieta, another volunteer, said. “She started crying, saying ‘I was just praying, saying I don’t know what my daughter and I are going to do. Thank you so much! This means a lot to me.’ I called (a few days later) to follow up with her. She had a Zoom interview with the home health aide company that was here, and she is now employed with that company.”

At Shepherd, a job fair is about far more than employment. It’s about neighbors finding hope. About connecting people in need with organizations that can help. About forging relationships that reap rewards long after the chairs are stacked and the tables are put away.