Today The Advoc8te along with staff  from the ARCH Jobs and ARCH Development Corporation had a wonderful time serving the participants in the ARCH Jobs 'Welfare To Work' program. It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and everyone had a great time.

We are truly thankful.





And in case you hadn't heard I am including a press release from the ARCH Training Center website:

EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31, 2011, THE ARCH TRAINING CENTER WILL CEASE ALL OPERATIONS. FOR THE PAST TWENTY FIVE YEARS, THE STAFF OF THE ARCH TRAINING CENTER AND ITS SISTER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PROVIDED A WIDE VARIETY OF EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL TRAINING, HOUSING AND SOCIAL SERVICES. WE HAVE SERVED MORE THAN 14,000 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA RESIDENTS THAT LIVE PRIMARILY EAST OF THE ANACOSTIA RIVER WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED OR REHABILITATED MORE THAN 1,000 UNITS OF HOUSING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ARCH TRAINING CENTER WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MANY INDIVIDUALS, COMPANIES AND AGENCIES THAT HAVE PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE ORGANIZATION OVER THE LAST QUARTER CENTURY. WE WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK JOHN DERRICK, FORMER PRESIDENT OF POTOMAC ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY, FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO THE FOUNDING OF THE TRAINING CENTER. WITHOUT HIS MORAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT OVER THE FIRST TEN YEARS, THE TRAINING CENTER COULD NEVER HAVE ACHIEVED ITS POTENTIAL. EQUALLY, WE THANK FORMER MAYOR BARRY, NOW WARD 8 COUNCIL MEMBER, FOR HIS INITIAL EMBRACE OF ARCH AND HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT. WE ALSO THANK THOSE WHO ASSISTED IN THE FOUNDING OF THE TRAINING CENTER: SAM NEWMAN, DENNIS LIVINGSTON, CAROL WHITCOMB AND SHARON GAUTIER. THE BOARD WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPRESS ITS APPRECIATION TO THE MANY STAFF MEMBERS AND CLIENTS OF ARCH WHO HAVE ENRICHED THE ORGANIZATION. ON A PERSONAL NOTE THE CLOSING OF THE ARCH TRAINING CENTER IS A DIFFICULT BUT NECESSARY TRANSITION. WHILE ARCH TRAINING CENTER WILL CLOSE, ARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, ITS SISTER ORGANIZATION WILL CONTINUE ON. THE ARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION’S ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY IS: “Creating a home for the creative economy, artists, arts and cultural organizations to fulfill our mission of Revitalization and Sustainable Economic Development in Historic Anacostia” THANK YOU. DUANE GAUTIER, FOUNDER AND CEO PLEASE FOLLOW THE PROGRESS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AT:ARCHDEVELOPMENT.ORG