Sonoma County to host third job and resource fair for homeless on March 20 in Santa Rosa

Sonoma County Job Link and community partners will host the county’s third job and resource fair for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless on March 20 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The free event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Garrett Building at the northeast corner of the fairgrounds, located at 1450 Bennett Valley Road in Santa Rosa.

Attendees will have opportunities to connect with 27 local employers and 37 government agencies and nonprofits offering assistance with employment, housing and other resources. There will also be a drop-in resume-making clinic, mock job interviews, haircuts and free lunch. 

“Every person in our community deserves to reach their full potential and achieve stability and shelter,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “The resources offered at this event by local business and community partners will support individuals striving to reach their next step.”

The county’s 2023 annual point-in-time count identified 2,266 people experiencing homelessness in Sonoma County last year, the lowest number recorded in eight years. Under the county’s five-year Strategic Plan, the Board of Supervisors is committed to reducing Sonoma County’s homeless population 10 percent annually by enhancing services through improved coordination and collaboration.

“The innovative approaches we have tried in Sonoma County are working, and this event has become a model that other counties are now exploring,” said Antonio Vigil, a supervisor with Sonoma County Job Link. “We know that people who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless need more than a job, but also help with housing and other services. It is the reason that 550 people attended our job and resource fairs last year in Santa Rosa and Petaluma.”

The job and resource fairs are part of an initiative launched by Sonoma County Job Link, a program of the county Human Services Department, that has connected 74 unhoused individuals with employment since 2021. Some individuals were able to afford housing after getting a job.

“At Job Link, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve their full potential and live with dignity and respect,” said Katie Greaves, director of the Employment and Training Division in the Human Services Department. “This event will provide resources and potential pathways to employment, a core building block to stable income and ultimately housing. We value our partnerships with local employers and community organizations as we work together to break down barriers to employment.”

Hundreds of $25 gift cards will be given away thanks to donations by Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary Club members, Mary’s Pizza Shack and other generous donors, who will also be serving a free lunch and snacks to participants.

The job and resource fair is produced by Sonoma County Job Link, Committee on the Shelterless, the Department of Rehabilitation, Community Support Network, Goodwill Industries of the Redwood Empire, HomeFirst Sonoma County, Interfaith Shelter Network, Micah’s Hugs, Nation’s Finest, Petaluma Family Resource Center, SHARE Sonoma County, Sonoma Applied Village Services, SonomaWORKS, the Department of Health Services, Santa Rosa Sunrise Rotary Club, and Mary’s Pizza Shack. Each of these agencies will be providing on-site service and support at the fair.

Pre-registration is not required. For more information about the job and resource fair, e-mail Antonio Vigil at avigil@schsd.org.

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Media Contact:
Ted Appel, Communications Specialist
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403