Photo courtesy CLEAN STREETS: A Chrysalis client works to keep the city clean. Homeless get a shot at self-sufficiency
By EMILIE PHELPS Special to the Daily Press
CITYWIDE — Dozens of local businesses are being asked to put the city’s homeless population to work.
Through a partnership with nonprofit employment agency Chrysalis, the Chamber of Commerce is rolling out an “end to homelessness” internship program. The Chrysalis interns come from homelessness, imprisonment, or otherwise difficult-to-employ backgrounds, but on-the-job experience is their path to self-sufficiency.
For Santa Monica businesses participating in the internship program, Chrysalis is asking a lower wage rate of $15 per hour for entry-level workers with no specific skills. That fee covers the client’s wage, which ranges from $8.50 to $9 per hour, as well as the costs of training the employees, providing payroll functions, workers compensation, liability insurance and bonding. Businesses hiring Chrysalis clients pay no worker’s compensation, social security, state or federal unemployment, administrative, recruiting or advertising expenses, said Tracy Roden, an employee at Chrysalis. As soon as any experience is requested, the pay and bill rate go up.
Homeless individuals find themselves in a catch-22 because they need experience to get a job, but they need a job to get that experience. Through Chrysalis’ internship program, clients can get their feet wet in different work situations and build up experience, while businesses don’t have to take the risk of permanently hiring someone with no work experience.
“Our organization’s philosophy is that a steady job is the single-most important step in a person’s transition to long-term self-sufficiency and we simply could not accomplish that task without organizations like the Santa Monica Chamber and local businesses that are willing to work hand-in-hand with us to make it a reality,” said Adlai Wertman, president and CEO of Chrysalis.
The social enterprise is no pipe dream — 93 percent of clients who participate in Chrysalis’ job training successfully secure employment. There are currently 12 to 14 Santa Monica businesses that employ temp workers who were placed by Chrysalis. In addition, there are an estimated 20 to 30 Chrysalis-trained employees who found permanent employment in and around Santa Monica. Chrysalis will provide fully-screened and prepared workers for 60-to 90-day internships at local businesses. Chrysalis assesses the needs of each business and can supply most skilled or semi-skilled positions needed.
The city of Santa Monica employs 10 Chrysalis clients to clean the Third Street Promenade and work in solid waste management. The city of Santa Monica granted $232,458 to Chrysalis in 2005.
The internship program, which developed out of the Chamber’s homeless committee, “is a great way for individual businesses to make a meaningful contribution to the problem of homelessness in our community,” said chamber president Kathy Dodson.“In fact, it is our attempt to respond to the requests we get from members asking what they as individual business owners can do to help.”
A BLENDING OF WORK OPPORTUNITIES Chrysalis was founded in 1984 in downtown Los Angeles as a food and clothing delivery service for the homeless. The organization soon realized that the homeless need jobs more than food, so they started providing employee training and job-search skills.
Chrysalis now has an office in Santa Monica at 1853 Lincoln Blvd. Because they found that even after Chrysalis training, many clients could not land a job without experience, they started a program to provide temp work for their clients.
Chrysalis Staffing, started in 1991, primarily focuses on private business contracts. It offers general labor, warehouse, customer service and clerical duties, among others. Chrysalis staff provides on-going support to the temporary employee who is on an assignment, as well as to the customer who places an order with Chrysalis Staffing. Customers have included major shopping centers, supermarkets, warehouses, cities, business districts, movie studios and real estate companies.
Chrysalis Works, started in 1993, contracts mostly with government entities and some private businesses. The program also provides a manager for Chrysalis clients. Service areas are graffiti removal, painting, removal of posted materials, street median maintenance, light gardening, vacant lot maintenance and cleaning and pressure washing. The program has contracts with private business, city and county agencies, and business improvement districts.
The internship program is a hybrid of those two pre-existing Chrysalis programs for temporary employment. Chrysalis internship opportunities include clerical, maintenance, kitchen, assembly, janitorial, warehouse, delivery, construction, landscaping, event staffing and other customer support positions.
Chrysalis mirrors its emphasis on self-sufficiency in its own organizational structure. Fifty-nine percent of their $7 million budget comes from the revenues of Chrysalis Enterprises, made up of Chrysalis Works and Staffing; 34 percent comes from private philanthropic contributions including special events, and 7 percent comes from government funds.
Rick Stoff, director of business partnerships at Chrysalis, said if the internship program produces even a handful of internships for their clients, at least business owners will be aware of Chrysalis’ employment services.
The Santa Monica Chamber has started a door-to-door campaign to promote the internship program. There is no shortage of temporary employees who want to be placed in internships — it just depends on how many businesses are willing to participate.
The internship program has one person working as a painter,and another five or six companies are interested, with another four wanting to hire for the holiday season,Rosen said.
BRINGING IT BACK HOME The Macerich Co., which owns Santa Monica Place, since last September has employed three full-time Chrysalis clients to clean the parking garage. Jean Huber, senior property manager for Santa Monica Place said Macerich plans to renew their contract with Chrysalis again this year.
“We believe strongly that the business community can play a positive role in helping to tackle the complex problem of homelessness in Santa Monica,” Huber said. “We plan to continue our two-way partnership with Chrysalis, and we encourage other Santa Monica businesses to work with this group to help homeless individuals take steps to improve their lives."
High-end beachfront hotels Shutters and Casa del Mar use Chrysalis temps on a regular basis, said Gema Cardenas-Ortiz, director of human resources at Shutters and Casa del Mar. They work in housekeeping, attendanting, dishwashing, banquet assisting and in the kitchen. Shutters employs at least two former Chrysalis clients as permanent employees.
“We know that we can count on them whenever we have these last-minute needs,” said Cardenas-Ortiz.“It’s great support — not only do they benefit, but we benefit also.”
The Lobster restaurant has been employing a former Chrysalis client as a server for the past seven years.
“Just because they’re homeless doesn’t mean they’re not intelligent, skilled, workers,” said manager Laurel Rosen. “They may have gotten off-track or something may have gotten in their way.
“You’re going to get someone who is a very loyal employee because they’re so grateful to have the chance to work.”
“You’re going to get someone who is a very loyal employee because they’re so grateful to have the chance to work.” — LAUREL ROSEN LOBSTER MANAGER
Other Santa Monica employers of Chrysalis workers include the Jonathan Club and Saint John’s Hospital.
EMPLOYING A NEW WAY OF LIFE From the client’s point of view, Chrysalis is a simple yet essential path to work.
Ron Aguilar, 40, was referred to Chrysalis after being in jail and living in Phoenix House, a rehabilitation center in Venice. Aguilar described the Chrysalis program as “not really hard.If you really want a job,they’re not going to go out and get you a job, but all the access and tools to get a job, it’s all there.”
Aguilar now lives in Culver City, but said he would probably be homeless if it weren’t for Chrysalis’ influence. Since starting as a mail-room clerk as a temporary employee six months ago at KCC, a bankruptcy consulting firm in Marina del Ray,Aguilar has been offered a raise, a permanent position and is considering going back to school to study business. “(The Chrysalis staff) helped me change my life and I couldn’t have done it without them,” he said.
Chrysalis provides critical employment services to nearly 2,300 homeless and impoverished individuals annually throughout Santa Monica and Los Angeles County. The people who become Chrysalis clients are referred from other shelters such as CLARE, the Goodwill and the Church at Ocean Park. Clients must be sober, have permission to reside in the U.S., have somewhere to sleep and be hygienic and clean. They may be staying at hotels, shelters, rehab homes, transitional housing, crashing on a couch or in a car. Above all, they must be ready, willing and able to work. For people with multiple barriers such as drug or substance abuse or childcare issues, Chrysalis refers them to an appropriate social service provider.
Chrysalis puts all applicants through a series of eight to 10 courses, ranging from computer classes to job preparation to anger management. Training includes mock job interviews, stress relief and advice on how to land and keep a job. Chrysalis also runs a payday support group to help recovering addicts resist the temptation to squander their hard-earned pay on drugs or alcohol.
A client’s progress is buoyed by counseling, support programs and training that teaches them how to deal with conflict and demonstrate reliability. On-site supervisors from the staffing agency can quickly resolve problems and ensure that workers receive adequate guidance.
“The people are there to talk to you and listen to you, encourage you, give you positive feedback,” Aguilar said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 9, 2006. Read the original PDF.