By Terelle Jerricks, Managing Editor
Commissioner Charlotte Brimmer of the City of Carson’s planning commission beamed with pride at the turn out of the Oct. 3 veteran job fair.
“Twenty people immediately got job that day,” she said. “That’s what it was about.”
Among the employers present at the fair included: Tesoro, Bank of America, DHL, Caste and Sons Protective Group, Mattel, Olive Garden, CEDA Logistics, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department and more.
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The job faire almost didn’t happen due to scheduling conflicts, the unavailability of other city owned spaces and the absence of Veteran Affairs Commission President Cheryl Schaffer, who was contracted for a job in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia.
When she first heard the possibility of it not taking place, former City Council candidate Charlotte Brimmer reached out to the commission to help put the event. After the commission gave its blessing, Brimmer pulled together a team consisting of many old and new faces — a number of them from her council run, such as her campaign manager and Gardena Valley Democratic Club president Richard Vaughn.
Even former council seat rival and fellow Planning Commission member Joseph Gordon, stepped in to help. Brimmer also happens to be Schaffer’s older sister. Both Schaffer and Gordon are military veterans.
To reach out to veterans, Brimmer relied heavily on Schaffer’s and Gordon’s networks, as well as the outreach efforts of the likes of Work for Warriors, local chapters of AMVETs, and other veterans groups.
Brimmer said she intends for this job fair to be more than just a job fair, and aims to facilitate workshops on benefits for which veterans are eligible and resume writing. Brimmer decided to include this dimension after seeing for herself the needs that exist in the veteran community.
This past March, Brimmer with Schaffer, hosted a fundraiser for homeless women veterans at her home. Brimmer recalled receiving an overwhelming response. In all 40 veteran women attended. Three were homeless. Brimmer said they managed to provide some help for those women, but it got her to thinking about what more could be done. Veterans job fair provided an opportunity.
Brimmer credits the StubHub, which offered the event free venue space as well as an event coordinator, Eric Storrey. She also credits with Carson’s Recreation and Human Services for helping Brimmer navigate the city bureaucracy to put on the event.
Though the fair was geared toward veterans, all job seekers were welcomed.
Details: (310) 245-5256; http://tinyurl.com/carson-veteran-job-fair