County Executive Robert P. Astorino and Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church, are teaming up to address Mount Vernon's high unemployment rate by hosting a Job Readiness Workshop Day on Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 52 South 6th Avenue, Mount Vernon. The workshops, coordinated by the Westchester One-Stop Employment Center, are geared towards making Westchester's unemployed and under-employed residents more competitive in the job market and providing encouragement and building confidence in their job search.

"When you've been out of work for a long time, it can be very discouraging," said Astorino. "Sometimes you just need a fresh set of eyes on your resume and a new look at how you are presenting your experience. We want our residents to be at their best when they walk into that interview. That's what this job readiness day is all about."

Mount Vernon's unemployment rate is 8.9 percent versus 8.1 percent for New York State (as of March 2013). The unemployment rate among African Americans in Mount Vernon stood at 13.7 percent. The median household income in Mount Vernon is 30.3 percent less than the New York average and the poverty level is 61.2 percent greater than the New York average.

"County Executive Astorino is responding to a crisis among Mount Vernon's poor and unemployed," said Rev. Richardson. "I came to him and asked what he could do to connect our jobless residents with employers and he responded immediately with the full resources of the county. Mount Vernon's unemployed and our fellow residents around the county need empowerment. They need confidence and they need the skills to go after the jobs they desire. County Executive Astorino understands this and is committed to doing everything he can to provide our residents with the tools they need to succeed."

Among the workshops, which will be led by professional career counselors and workforce experts, are: Preparing a Winning Resume, Current Employment Trends in the Hudson Valley, Interviewing Techniques and How to Thrive in the Modern Job Market.

"We have successfully recruited workers through the One-Stop Employment Center in the past and look forward to this new pool of potential applicants coming out of Readiness Day," said Dorothy Dobkowski, recruiter at Whole Foods Market. "Job seekers that have been trained by One-Stop programs always have an edge over other applicants in my mind. They know how to present themselves in a professional manner. They are ready to work."

"County Executive Astorino is bringing services directly into the neighborhoods that need it most. That is the kind of aggressive problem solving we need to get our local economy moving," said Dr. Marsha Gordon, president of the Business Council of Westchester and chair of the One-Stop Committee of the Workforce Investment Board, which oversees the One-Stop program.

The event is free and open to residents countywide. Participants are encouraged to register in advance at www.westchesterputnamonestop.com or call (914) 995-3910.