FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2011
EOC’s Neighborhood Youth Center Hosts Resource Fair & Community Day Wednesday, August 31

- Event showcases services available to west Fresno residents at new Neighborhood Youth Center -

(Fresno, CA) West Fresno residents can learn all about services being offered to them at the Rev. E. Swillis Neighborhood Youth Center during Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission’s (EOC) Resource Fair and Community Day taking place Wednesday, August 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event, which coincides with the agency's 46th anniversary, will be held at Neighborhood Youth Center located at 1805 E. California Avenue in Fresno.

“Resources are scarce, especially for residents in low-income areas and areas of concentrated poverty, like west Fresno," says Brian Angus, EOC’s Executive Director. “We are excited to have our Neighborhood Youth Center serve as a hub for agencies and organizations providing services to the west Fresno community." He adds, “While we fully recognize that we could have been more effective and efficient in executing the overall Neighborhood Youth Complex project, we are working with the state to ensure we are within our commitment and are glad to be moving forward."

According to Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development, approximately 38.9% of west Fresno residents live in poverty, only 30% have earned a high school diploma or equivalent, and a mere 7% have a post-secondary degree from either a two- or four-year college. The median household income for a west Fresno family is $19,478, compared to the state's median family income of $53,025.

EOC‘s Resource Fair and Community Day will showcase more than 25 community service providers that will offer services at Neighborhood Youth Center throughout the year including energy assistance, health and nutrition education, and relationship counseling. A Calendar of Events is posted on EOC‘s website, www.fresnoeoc.org, and is available at EOC‘s Neighborhood Youth Center.

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CONTACT
Yahaira Garcia-Perea
559.263.1024
yahaira.garcia-perea@fresnoeoc.org
About EOC
Our Mission
To humanely focus all available resources to empower low-income families and individuals working toward the skills, knowledge and motivation for self-sufficiency.

About EOC
Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission, known as EOC, was established in 1965 with the goal of obtaining equality of opportunity in education, employment, health and living conditions for those in need in Fresno County. We are widely recognized and are one of the largest nonprofit Community Action Agencies in the United States.

EOC has spent over four decades investing in people, helping them become self-sufficient. The scope of service provided by our Agency consists of almost all facets of human services and economic development. They range from pre-school education to vocational training; from juvenile and drug abuse counseling to treatment for serious juvenile offenders; from youth recreation to senior citizen hot meal services; from energy conservation education to crisis intervention; from preventive health care to prenatal nutrition education; and from vocational counseling to job placement services.