WINNSBORO – Fairfield County officials are joining forces with the Midlands Fatherhood Coalition’s Winnsboro office to provide transportation to a Kraft Foods job fair on Sept. 22 in Newberry, according to Fairfield County Deputy Administrator Davis Anderson.
“If enough applicants get jobs at the plant on the same shift and need transportation between Winnsboro and the plant every day, we’re looking at trying to arrange that, too,” Anderson said.
Anderson said there might be a nominal fee to use the service on a long term, regular basis.
“Failure to be able to just get to the job site every day is a big part of the problem we face with employment in Fairfield County,” Fatherhood Coalition Site Manager Rudolph Walker said. “I really see this as a win-win situation.”
Walker said putting fathers back to work is a large part of what the Fatherhood Coalition office in Winnsboro is about.
“Many of these men face multiple problems in finding and retaining employment. Besides the problems of getting to work, many also need job training and help with background problems such as expungement of criminal records,” Walker said.
The program also provides a week-long employment boot camp.
“At the same time, we work to help these men understand what it is to be a father, to build relationships with their children, co-parents and community,” Walker said. “We understand what happens in negative situations, with no economic stability.”
The Coalition recently opened a new location at the Ridgeway fire station at 350 S. Palmer Street, and will open another one on Sept. 6 at the Monticello Community Center, 7104 State Hwy 215 S., in Jenkinsville. The Winnsboro office is located at 201 W Moultrie St.
For more information about the Kraft job fair or about the Midlands Fatherhood Coalition, call Walker at 803-815-044.