Huntington Opportunity Resource Center Opens New HQ

The Huntington Opportunity Resource Center held a Dec. 3 grand opening at its permanent home at 1264 New York Avenue in Huntington Station.

The organization provides a single location for residents seeking town and county resources and services related to economic opportunities and quality of life. Those services include resume preparation, assistance with job searches through the County Department of Labor, exploration of career options, access to training, tips for interview success and job readiness, Department of Social Services application assistance and not-for profit service referrals, and assistance with general human services questions.

It also offers English as a second language now and plans to include classes for Spanish as a Second Language as well as other on-site training opportunities.

The center had operated during the past five months from the Huntington Business Incubator two doors away, while renovations were undertaken on the former Huntington Station Enrichment Center. In that period, the center had 646 client visits.

“This is a networking building,” Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone said. “It is a facility where people are coming together. People will come in here, and they will leave this center, hopefully, with information and in a better place than when they walked in.”

“This center is so important to the revitalization of the Station – so very important that we take care of the concerns and the needs of our own people here in the Station and in Huntington as well,” he added.

“Bringing a community together is about reducing crime, engaging and empowering the people and it’s also about providing opportunities,” Councilwoman Tracey Edwards said.“We are going to change people’s lives here, that is that this is about.”

“We are pleased to work with the Town of Huntington to help residents find the assistance they need,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “This is a strong and vibrant community, but some residents have had limited access to county services in the past due to a variety of reasons ranging from language access, to a lack of awareness about what is available to them, to limited transportation allowing them to access County buildings where services are delivered. The services provided by Suffolk County’s Department of Social Services and Department of Labor will help residents improve their quality of life.”

Among the community-based organizations working with the center is United Way and its Youth Build program. Between July and October, 139 client visits were related to Youth Build, a community-based alternative education program providing classroom instruction and occupational skills training to 18-to-24-years old who have been in the juvenile justice system, have dropped out of high school or are at-risk of falling to reach key education and career milestones. Youth Build Long Island helps youths earn their GED while learning green construction career skills by building housing for the homeless.

Future partnerships aim to offer veterans services, pre-apprenticeship training and additional support for youth programming.

“This is really what it’s all about,” Legis. William Spencer said. “There are 100 people in this room right now, and when I think of the resources…It is just like a kitchen with all the ingredients for an apple pie. It takes a chef to bring all the ingredients together and make a great apple pie, and that’s what Tracey has done…we have brought all the resources together. I am overwhelmed.”

The center is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Free assistance is available for both walk-ins and by appointment. For more information, call Michelle Foulke or Juan Contreras at 631-385-2305.

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