“Clothing One Community at a Time”
North Carolina Department of Public Safety reported that each year, more than 22,000 prisoners are released from North Carolina’s State Prison system. As the prisoners are released back into society, they are in desperate need of programs that will help them transition back into the community. Although prisoners are a portion of the homeless population, there are many homeless men and women that need skills to be productive in society. Erika’s Closet not only provide clothing but programs that assist in stability. Our Mission is to be a resource to those in need that are transitioning out of incarceration, individuals that are homeless and failed on hard times, with the essential items necessary for daily living and the workforce.
Workforce Development is considered an interconnected set of solutions to meet employment needs. Workforce Development does not just focus on the entire community but also focuses on the individual that can increase their competency and make them a greater asset in the workforce. These workshops and trainings have benefits of workforce development because it can increase job satisfaction, improve productivity, enhance innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.
Erika’s Closet shall provide the following but not limited to:
• Resume Writing
• Interviewing Skills
• Professional Dress Attire
• Communication Skills
• How to apply for a job online
• Computer Skills
• Conflict Resolution
Erika’s Closet provides substance abuse prevention awareness to aim at ensuring that the substance abuse does not occur. Through our workshops we discussed areas that may lead to using illegal drugs or causes that can make someone relapse. Our program shall provide workshops to educate others on ways to identify triggers and coping techniques.
We shall teach on the following but not limited to:
• Signs and symptoms of drug abuse
• Identify triggers that makes you want to use illegal drugs
• Decreasing stressors and change the behaviors
• Identify environmental factors that may lead to illegal behaviors
• Utilize coping skills (relaxation, meditation, exercise, good eating habits, etc.).
• Having a support system
A healthy relationship is not just between to partner, it can be shared between any two people that love, support encourage and help each other practically as well as emotionally. To benefit from a health relationship, you must know how to develop healthy relationships with others that you must be around daily. This workshop teaches how to have a healthy relationship and how to identify when a relationship is toxic.
We shall focus on but not limited to the following:
• What is a healthy relationship?
• What is a toxic relationship?
• Understanding boundaries
• Effective communication & active listening skills (having a voice but able to listen and not just hear one another)
• Empathy (being able to take another person’s perspective without being disrespectful)
• Patience (understanding everyone patience is different levels)
• Trust (being honest, loyal, and valuing the other person)
Erika’s Closet understands that to be financial stable, you must know the fundamentals of basic financial concepts to inform their real-world financial decision. Our goal is to provide knowledge to better manage their money, make sounds decisions, and maintain healthy budgeting habits to financial wellness.
We shall provide workshops on the following but not limited to:
• Budgeting (creating a short-term budget)
• Credit repair
• How to decrease debt
• Understanding debt to income ratio
• FICO Score
Our Etiquette Program promotes cross-cultural awareness while fostering dignity and respect in your personal life and workplace. It provides a positive impact on workplace code of conduct and improves internal and external customer relations.
There are many benefits of etiquette training such as:
• Enhance relationship in the workplace
• Enhance communication skills
• Be more comfortable in professional and social settings
• Gain a competitive edge to get that job desired
• Increase self-esteem
• Strengthen credibility
Erika’s Closet connects this program with Workforce Development to assist individuals with ways to have a better connection while on the job and /or in the job search.
Our workshop and training shall focus on the following but not limited to:
• Communication skills
• Mannerisms
• Eye contact & proper hand shake
• Professional dress attire
• Social media etiquette
• Virtual job fair etiquette
Erika’s Closet shall advocate on the local, state, and national level for mental health services, for affordable housing, and human rights. We shall collaborate with other organizational and bring awareness for the needs of the people.
