MBHP receives award for employment program with MRC
On June 9, Somerville resident Mauricio Lopez was honored with the Distinguished Consumer Award by the Greater Boston Employer Advisory Board. Lopez was hired by Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership through a partnership with the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission that provides employment opportunities to people with disabilities.
BOSTON—On June 9, Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership received the Distinguished Employer Award from the Greater Boston Advisory Board at an event at the State House. The nonprofit housing agency was nominated by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission in recognition of MBHP’s work with MRC consumers, providing employment opportunities for Massachusetts residents with disabilities.
MRC provides career and skills training to people with disabilities and works to place them with employers across the state. MRC works with a network of more than 100 employers throughout the state to place consumers in jobs. Out of this network, MRC chose MBHP to nominate for the award.
MBHP and MRC both benefit from the partnership. The MRC consumer is able to try out a position to see if it fits their skills and interests, while MBHP gets to work with seasoned, experienced professionals who are ready to work in a fast-paced environment.
“MBHP and MRC have a shared vision of helping people gain the tools they need to succeed,” said Keith Abbott, MBHP director of human resources. “This partnership is a wonderful way to continue to help people get the employment they are seeking while continuing to offer high-quality services to our clients.”
As positions at MBHP become available, MRC consumers are brought on board for a 9-12 week period as a trainee. At the end of that period, based on their work performance, MBHP has the option to offer them a full-time position. Consumers are provided with counseling and training by MRC throughout the training period, and are also encouraged to evaluate whether this position is right for them. According to Abbott, some trainees have not needed to complete the training period before MBHP has offered them full-time positions. Four MRC consumers have been hired by MBHP to-date, and the organization is eager to engage more.
Two MBHP staff members who were hired through the partnership, Jennifer Sullivan of Cambridge and Mauricio Lopez of Somerville, were each also honored at the ceremony with the Distinguished Consumer Award.
“Working at MBHP has been an extremely rewarding experience,” said Sullivan, who has hired full-time in March as an administrative assistant. “I have already learned so much in my new role, and the future is bright!”
“I’m so glad that MBHP is a part of this program. Working here has been such a heartening experience, and the people here have been very supportive,” said Lopez, who was hired full-time as a relocation representative in May. “I’m grateful for the chance to do good deeds at a place that is making a real difference in people’s lives.”
About Metropolitan Housing Partnership
Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP) is a leading nonprofit dedicated to connecting the residents of Greater Boston with safe, decent homes they can afford. MBHP empowers families and individuals to move along the continuum from homelessness to housing stability. Serving more than 20,000 households annually, they work seamlessly to bridge the gaps among government, nonprofits, and corporations to continually increase their impact. With more than 30 years’ experience piloting and implementing housing programs, MBHP is an industry-leading expert on navigating the affordable housing field. For more information, visit http://www.mbhp.org, facebook.com/MBHPHome, or follow MBHP on Twitter at @MBHPhousing.