I think this just goes to show what a small group of people committed to a cause can accomplish.

In February, a room full of people gathered in Hockessin and started the Community Matters Job Networking Group – a place for those between jobs to come, share their skills, learn from each other, and support each other.

Thanks to the incredible leadership and efforts of ALL involved with this – we are seeing great results – from training and insights offered from business professionals, people are improving their resumes, interview skills, networking skills, etc we are seeing more of our members getting called back for interviews and getting job offers!

Apparently, this has caught the attention of the New York Times.

Whatever the approach, participants say the goals are simple: to talk, trade stories, voice concerns and share contacts that could lead to new work.

“The benefit of getting together in person is that you feel like you really get to know what someone’s all about,” said Rodney Jordan, who has a job with a local printing company but started the Community Matters Networking Group in Hockessin, Del., to help neighbors in need. “Those face-to-face connections can go a long way.”

Mr. Jordan found group members through advertising online and offline. His group, like Mr. Cardinale’s, meets in a local church. Other grass-roots networking organizations convene in places like neighborhood coffee shops.

Click Here for the full article or read the pdf version.

Of course, this is only the latest round of media exposure for this group – we’ve seen excellent articles from Adam Zewe at the Community News, Gary Soulsman with the News Journal, and Rick Jensen at WDEL features the group every Thursday afternoon on his show!

Thank you all for your support, words of encouragment, and help in making this group a success!

Across Delaware, churches and other organizations are opening their doors to job-seekers to offer comfort, support — and even the sense of connection and community that can be stripped away when you’re laid off or fired.

“I believe my next job may be only one friend away,” West says. “And it feels good to be looking out for others — encouraging them and helping them find contacts.”

The stories she hears at the Community Matters Networking group are the psychological equivalent of the exploits of Indiana Jones — how people, with a distaste for rejection, face it day after day but still summon the courage to send résumés and make calls in the worst job climate in memory.

Be sure to read the rest of the story as well!

The response has been great and this past week (after only 3 official meetings) we have had local press coverage in the News Journal, WDEL 1150 AM, and WHYY television.  If you know of someone who is in transition, searching for a job, or who perhaps isn’t seeking for themselves but would like to offer help or just plain network with people in the community who have lots to offer, please direct them to the web site: CommunityMattersDE.net Here they will find a link for an online form that they can fill out to get connected with the group. They are meeting on Friday mornings at 9:30 at Hockessin Baptist Church, and also have workshops planned to help with resume writing, interviewing skills, perspective from a HR manager, computer skills, social networks, etc.

To learn more about the group, check out the podcast from the WDEL Rick Jensen show on March 5.

Part One 

Part Two