LOVE’S TRAVEL STOPS & COUNTRY STORES’ EMPLOYEES GIVES TO TEEM
Oklahoma City, OK—Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores launched their “Making a Difference from the Heart” company-wide initiative, giving each corporate employee the opportunity to designate a $450 donation to the non-profit of their choice in the greater Oklahoma City metro-area. Some of these employees chose The Education and Employment Ministry for their designation.
“The donation of $1,350 was a greatly appreciated gift in these tough economic times,” explained Laura Gamble, Associate Director of Operations. “Some of our funding comes from various foundations, which base their giving on the value of their investments. With the stock market in its current state, they have taken quite a hit which affects every organization they support,” Gamble explains.
The economy in Oklahoma has not been affected like some states, which provides for the
Oklahoma corporations, like Love’s, to continue their generosity and support their community.
The Education and Employment Ministry provides a service to anyone in the community at no charge who needs help getting back on their feet. TEEM offers a three-pronged approach helping people through: Education, Social Service and Job Placement. Classes offered at TEEM include, but not limited to: GED Preparation, Computer Skills, Microsoft Applications and Food Safety and Sanitation.
U.S census data states that Oklahoma ranks 10th in the country with the highest percentage of people living in poverty, approximately 460,000 people in
Oklahoma live at or below the poverty level. “TEEM is dedicated to reducing the number of families that are living in shelters and are unable to provide for their families by offering them the opportunities to develop their employment skills,” Rev. Tony Zahn, Executive Director. Zahn continues, “TEEM is about giving people a hand up, not a hand out.”
TEEM’s mission is to: Reduce poverty, homelessness and unemployment in Oklahoma by serving people in all 77 counties.
For more information about The Education and Employment Ministry, call (405) 235-5671 or visit www.teem.org.
TEEM HONORS RECENT GED GRADUATES
Oklahoma City, OK - The Education and Employment Ministry honored recent students who passed the General Education Development (GED) test Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Luke's United Methodist Church.
Among the graduates honored were (pictured left to right): Brenda Freeman, Rhonda Guzman, Brandon Robinson and Stacy Colvin. Brenda will be attending Metro-Tech in the fall to pursue a certification in Facial Anesthesia. Rhonda is already taking classes at Metro-Tech. With his GED in hand, Brandon Robinson is ready to begin classes to become an armed security officer. And Stacy will be attending classes at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Rev. Tony Zahn, Executive Director at TEEM, expressed to the Graduates, "Every once in awhile, life gives us an opportunity to examine the choices we have made. It provides a moment for us to step outside ourselves, examine the path we are taking, and ask whether that path is taking us where we want to go-are we doing what we should be doing?..."
Linda Landez, GED Instructor, prepares her students for a test that she once took to begin her career as an educator. "Education was always in important in my family, but sometimes life happens and we find ourselves not where we had planned. It is our responsibility to take advantage of our opportunities and make something of ourselves," Landez explains.
There are many who have contributed to the students' success including other TEEM instructors, staff and volunteer tutors from the community. "'It takes a village to raise a child' and to pass the GED test," Landez laughs.
Historically, the General Education Development test was established as a means of offering a high school credential to World War II veterans who might have interrupted their schooling to go to war. Since that time, more than 15 million people have received a GED credential. The American Council on Education has made many changes to the test since the 1940s. Just over ten years ago, the minimum passing score was raised to a new standard requiring all GED graduates to exceed the performance of at least 33 percent of traditional graduating high school seniors.
TEEM will be honoring a new group of GED graduates on September 17, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
For more information about becoming a student or volunteering your time at The Education and Employment Ministry, contact Laura Gamble at (405)235-5671 or lgamble@teem.org.
