John Fugazzie’s volunteer-led group, Neighbors-helping-Neighbors, has since expanded to 15 libraries across North Jersey, and 42 of the group’s members, including Fugazzie, have landed jobs.
The volunteer-led organization is now celebrating its first anniversary with a seminar and networking event with local experts as guest speakers on Friday at the Ridgewood Public Library.
Although he’s now employed, Fugazzie said he hopes to continue running the group in his spare time, because, “So many strangers helped me during my rough time — this is my way of paying it forward.”
The group provides free weekly meetings that are led by volunteers and offer networking advice along with support. Members aid each other in job searching strategies and tips. Library staff also pitch in with assistance in using library resources such as computer job accelerator and other data banks and résumé writing help, said Fugazzie.
Such services have clearly been in demand: NhN has expanded to libraries around the region, including in the counties of Bergen, Passaic and Morris, and it will open two chapters next month in Essex County in Maplewood and Cedar Grove.
“What I like about it is that it’s not a ‘pity party’ — they offer concrete help that you can use, like job leads and tips for writing your résumé,” said Jim De Marco of Ho-Ho-Kus, a credit analyst with more than 25 years of experience who recently joined the Ridgewood group.
As unemployment statistics stay stubbornly high, such groups play an important role in providing support as well as leads, observed local librarians, who have helped to provide resources to the group.
“Libraries have been helping job seekers for as long as people have been needing jobs,” said River Edge Library Director Daragh O’Connor. He noted that the group provides an important role in helping people to network: “It’s a morale booster for these people to be able to talk to someone who understands. They keep each other accountable. They said ‘What did you do this week?’ It gives them a sense of purpose.”
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Self-help group for job searchers marks year of success – NorthJersey.com
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