ROGERS — While shoppers may not look beyond the good deals at the area’s newest discount store, Pieces of Me will serve another purpose for the Office of Human Concern. The grand opening of the store in the Fountain Square Shopping Center on Hudson Street will be Thursday, Oct. 22, but volunteers have been working for weeks to get the shop ready.

Much of the merchandise was donated, manager Karen Rakes said. It ranges from brand new items from the vendor community, to gently used clothes from individuals. A large shipment of new plus size clothes came from a Branson business that also donated some of the fixtures.

Rakes also has some cash to spend on merchandise, but she looks for the least expensive way to stock her shelves, including vendor sales and going-out-ofbusiness events. The inventory will be changing rapidly, she predicted, because her prices are so low. Profits from the store will buy more new merchandise, she said.

The store isn’t really a fundraiser, although the Office of Human Concern could use the money for their programs that benefit seniors and low income families. Pieces of Me is really part of a Job Development program, program director Debra Davis explained.

The job development program is open to people from age 18 until retirement. At the end of the fourmonth program, most of her students have a job, Davis said. The class size is small, so she can work one on one with each student.

Referrals come from agencies that assist low income families. If she has openings, she’ll call clients who come to the Office of Human Concern for utility assistance.

While they’re in the program, Davis can help them with money for transportation and some groceries. In return they commit to 20 hours a week including three hours of community service. If they don’t fulfill their commitment, Davis drops them from the program.

During the classroom component, about five hours a week, they’ll develop a resume and learn interview skills. They will spend 12 hours a week working in the store where they’ll learn about retail, but also punctuality and taking direction. But Davis doesn’t expect most of her students to end up in retail jobs. The skills they learn are valuable in any work situation, she said.

A former financial aid counselor at the college level, Davis is ready to help her job skills students continue their education if that’s what they want to do.

“It’s an incredible opportunity,” one of Davis’ students said.

She asked to remain anonymous, but wanted to say that in today’s economy with stiff competition for decent jobs, the skills program is a valuable tool.

Davis shares some students with Kimberly Porter who runs the Asset Development program at theOHC. Asset Development teaches clients to get the most out of what they have.

“It’s like a budgeting boot camp,” Porter said. More than 100 people in three counties have completed her program.

Rakes, who once went through the Asset Development program, provided an example. Porter will tell her students not to buy a candy bar and a soda because they look good at the gas station.

Instead, they should a buy a case of soda and a bag of candy at the grocery store where the prices are lower and then use them slowly throughout the week.

Porter can also help her students use community resources, like food stamps, to take the pressure off while they pay off creditors and learn to budget.

Like the Job Skills students, the Asset Development students do community service, including getting the new discount store ready to open.

“It’s a family friendly program,” Porter said. “LastChristmas we did gifts for 40 children.”

Pieces of Me will be resource for both programs, even while it provides inexpensive merchandise for the community.

News, Pages 1 on 10/21/2009

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