An estimated crowd of 40 to 50 adults attended the first-ever Mini Resource Fair late-last month at the Capital Region BOCES South Pearl Street Campus.
The daytime event was designed to connect adult education students and community members to the resources of the neighborhood, said Alysha Weisner, Adult Education Literacy Zone Coordinator.
“It helps our students and the community members connect to the neighborhood resources they may need, like housing needs, SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] and HEAP [Home Energy Assistance Program] programs,” Weisner said.
Organizations on hand included Trinity Alliance; Community Investment Trust; Albany County Department of Social Services; Cornell Cooperative Extension; Albany Neighborhood Specialist; Equinox Domestic Violence Services; Housing Service Advocate; Albany Public Library and MVP Healthcare.
Future resource fairs are in the planning stages, Weisner said.
The 153 South Pearl Street Campus was opened in August as part of an effort by BOCES to better serve its adult students, build education offerings, and expand community and business partnerships, said Michael Markou, Adult Education Program Manager at Capital Region BOCES.
The Mini Resource Fair accomplishes all of those goals, bringing resources directly to the students and community members and allowing them to build their knowledge, skills and connections.
“Events like this help us achieve our goals of providing information and skills directly to the community members, wherever they may be,” said Markou.
Adult education programs are offered throughout the year. For more information on any program, visit https://www.capitalregionboces.org/adult-education/classes-programs/, call 518-862-4707 or email jasmine.dixon@neric.org.