April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
CHOICES gives options in life
A parishioner of St. Patrick's Church in Ravena, Mrs. Bruno is coordinator of Career and Home Opportunities Integrated with Community, Education and Services, a multi-faceted program that provides everything from General Equivalency Diploma classes and job readiness programs to life skills workshops and meetings with food stamp representatives.
Now in its 10th year, CHOICES has given more than 400 people a chance to better themselves, and Mrs. Bruno is pleased with the program's success.
"Nobody would've thought we would have the success we've had," she said. "I have very high expectations, and I think these people can be contributing citizens in society."
Giving back
The program evolved out of Mrs. Bruno's work with low-income women in Ravena through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in the 1980s. They became EFNEP volunteers who assisted with group class instruction, recruitment, child care and transportation needs, and Mrs. Bruno came to realize that these women wanted to free themselves from the welfare system and give something back.After Mrs. Bruno met with Albany County Cornell Cooperative Extension and the volunteers, a proposal was drafted to implement a new program that would provide comprehensive services in one location, and CHOICES began in 1989.
The program, run by a staff of seven, gives participants an opportunity to express their wants and needs instead of being told what services are offered. "It's a good thing to sit down and ask them what they want to do," Mrs. Bruno said. "You don't dictate to them."
Variety of choices
Among the 20 hours of programming offered weekly or monthly are courses in GED and job readiness preparation, math and reading, English as a Second Language, life skills, first aid and CPR. Child care is provided on site for parents in the program, and case management provides for one-on-one counseling through individual testing and assessments.One reason CHOICES has made a difference in people's lives for the past 10 years is because of the volunteers who help with tutoring, child care or office support. For example, Rose Nunziato, a parishioner of St. Patrick's, helps by answering phones when there's a staff meeting. She used to tutor students in reading and was impressed with their progress.
"They seemed eager to learn, even though they had some difficulty," she said. "I enjoyed working with the students, and it was satisfying to be able to teach them to read."
Why they come
Participants in CHOICES, located in retail space on Route 9W in Ravena, come to classes and workshops for different reasons. Joann Powell takes job readiness courses and has been involved in the program for almost a year-and-a-half. The staff and services are helpful, but participants also have to make an effort, she said."It's a good program if you want to better your future. It can work if you make it work," she said.
Elizabeth Snyder has been coming for the past five months. She sends out resumes and looks for jobs. She's optimistic about her chances of finding work.
"I get to read the classifieds every day, use the computer and use my office skills that I already know," she said.
Referrals
Many participants hear about the program through word of mouth; others are referred by county agencies, the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District, diocesan agencies such as St. Catherine's Center or Catholic Charities, or St. Patrick's Church.There's open enrollment, so participants can join at any time by walking in and getting started. The paid and volunteer staff may be the teachers, but some of the most important lessons are the examples set by graduates of the program who have gone on and become successful.
"They're learning from each other. They're their own best teachers," Mrs. Bruno said.
(For more information about CHOICES, call 756-8650.)
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