Seven agencies celebrate new site
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Local dignitaries and officials from partnering agencies join Elaine Craig, executive director of Madera Workforce Assistance Center, as she cuts a ceremonial ribbon at 2037 W. Cleveland Avenue.
Seven social agencies celebrated their new combined site at a ribbon-cutting ceremony with community members Monday afternoon in a corner of the Madera Marketplace shopping center.
The storefront at 2037 W. Cleveland Ave. now houses Madera Adult School, Madera Community College Center, Madera County Workforce Assistance Center, Madera County Workforce Investment Corporation, Department of Rehabilitation, Madera County Department of Social Services, Employment Development Department, and Job Corps.
The cluster of agencies is an intentional “One Stop Shop” approach, as described by the 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The agencies moved in together in January. Students began attending classes at the Madera Unified School District adult school Jan. 21.
“When (executive director) Elaine Craig (of the Workforce Assistance Center) came to visit with us (at MUSD) ... we sat down and we heard her vision for this moment. She literally laid out this moment in time. She laid out how this would look, how it would feel, how it would operate and what it would do for the community,” said MUSD Interim Superintendent Todd Lile. “And right then and there it made perfect sense.”
Other partners and services at the site are the Madera Housing Authority, Central Valley Opportunity Center, Service Employment Redevelopment Jobs for Progress, and California Indian Manpower Consortium.
Guests toured the complex Monday, which also provides veteran services.
For information, call 662-4500.
