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C&W Services is honored to partner with philanthropic and non-profit organizations that serve our communities and create job opportunities.

Through the C&W Services workforce development program, our teams work with social enterprise organizations across the United States who focus on inclusive employment to match individuals with janitorial job openings at C&W Services. This non-traditional approach to talent acquisition provides job opportunities and training at C&W Services for entry-level talent.

Today we highlight our partnership with Cara Collective in Chicago, IL, a non-profit organization and community partner since 2018. Since 1991, Cara Collective has connected more than 8,100 individuals with more than 13,400 quality employment opportunities, achieving a one-year same-company retention rate of 66% or higher for permanent and long-term placements. Cara Collective taps a talented pool of people seeking to lift themselves out of homelessness and/or poverty. By focusing on unlocking a potential candidate’s unique strengths, they identify the best pathway to employment based on a person’s experience, situation, and aspiration. After employment is achieved, they continue to support the individual through continued education, encouragement, access to resources, and mentorship opportunities.

Through our partnership with Cara Collective, we placed three employees at a client site in Chicago, IL, for our client, Kimberly-Clark. A win-win for all, the employees have made a tremendously positive impact at the site, with one employee stepping into a supervisor role when needed. We take great pride in our collaboration with Cara Collective and our ability to match qualified candidates to positions that serve the interests of our clients. Kristin Stockton, HR Analyst and Sara O’Brien, Director of Workforce Strategy and Development with C&W Services, adds:

Kristin Stockton, HR Analyst

“In my experience, the Cara Collective employees are pleasant people who are consistently upbeat. Building long-lasting client relationships are essential, and I can confidently say that the Cara Collective employees that joined our team do a fantastic job. They have a remarkable attitude and we have received continuous positive feedback from our client on how efficient and friendly the staff are. They bring a positive atmosphere to the environment. We appreciate them!”

Sara O’Brien, Director – Workforce Strategy and Development

“Our partnership with Cara Collective has been fantastic—they are an extension of our talent sourcing team! Their passion and commitment to training and coaching their participants is what makes the partnership such a success.”

Joe Mutuc, Chief Business Development Officer – Cara Collective
“Cara Collective was founded on the notion of community – and that it takes dedicated people and partners to create true transformation in our city and beyond. We are so proud to have C&W Services as a dedicated member of our community. Through this partnership, we have been able to not only place individuals into jobs with C&W Services, but we have been able to elevate the quality of opportunities we provide our job seekers.”

We are very thankful for our continued partnership with Cara Collective, supporting the Chicago community, and making a tremendous impact on people’s lives. Learn more about Clara Collective at caracollective.org.