“Together We Move Forward” Virtual “Breakfast” with Secretary Rosalin Acosta
Operation ABLE’s held its annual fundraiser on June 9th to support our community of job seekers, the underemployed, those in career transition, and military veterans who are committed and eager to work.
The theme of this year’s event was “Together We Move Forward,” to acknowledge and celebrate our students, our impactful employer and service provider partners, and Operation ABLE’s compassionate and expert staff. We also want to acknowledge and thank our nonprofit and government partners for helping to make our success possible. In addition, the event enabled us to spotlight our full complement of computer skills training programs and the ‘life-changing” impact on students that have successfully graduated from our programs. Just as importantly, this event enables us to thank and recognize our very generous sponsors and donors who make our job training and student success possible.
This year we were joined by special guest Secretary Rosalin Acosta, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In her role, she oversees the workforce development and labor departments that help ensure that workers, employers, and the unemployed have access to the tools and training needed to succeed in the post-pandemic Massachusetts economy. Her secretariat includes MassHire, which is led by Director Alice Sweeney. MassHire is a respected partner of Operation ABLE’s in delivering helpful support services to both employers and job seekers. Our Breakfast also provided an opportunity to recognize another vital partner, Secretary Elizabeth Chen, who leads the Department of Elder Affairs. And we also extended a thankful salute to Christine Abrams, President and CEO of the Commonwealth Corporation, for their close and effective partnership with Operation ABLE, our job seekers and employers.
In her remarks, Secretary Acosta observed that the pandemic has exposed layers of issues in income inequality and many instances of racial and income disparities. The Secretary went on to note that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has been the first in many great public programs, and that we have a responsibility to aspire to do the same for those who have been impacted by the health and economic challenges we’ve all faced over the last year.
‘I want to make sure we are the shining example to this country on how we can close this gap… [but] it takes a Village. Government can’t do this alone, you can’t do it alone, we all need to do this together… So, from our Mass Hire System and the Governor, we are so happy to have you [Operation ABLE] on this journey.’ – Secretary Rosalin Acosta
In addition to Secretary Acosta. Lydia Greene, OA’s Board Chair, and Marian Walsh, OA’s President and CEO, offered welcoming comments and thanks to our corporate sponsors, as well as to Operation ABLE’s dedicated staff and job-ready students. Closing remarks were offered by Mike Festa, OA Board Member and AARP Massachusetts State Director, thanking Operation ABLE’s Board members for their commitment to the organization and its mission during such a challenging year.
In her post-event remarks, Marian summed up the importance of our Annual Breakfast appeal for support in this way:
‘Operation ABLE is part of the overall solution in helping job seekers improve their computer skills, draft resumes, prepare for job interviews, write cover letters, and become acquainted with the crucial job-related strategies that are so critical to enabling them to get back on their feet.’
‘More importantly than the technical skills we grow impart, however, is the sense of empowerment we instill in our participants. With your support, we seek to reach everyone who needs our services and support. As we know, a job changes everything.’
To see highlights of this year’s Annual Breakfast, click here.
