Job Seekers Support Fund, Sponsored by Indeed, to Provide Transformative Funding for Three Stamford Nonprofits

The $250,000 fund, established with and advised by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, invites Stamford-based organizations dedicated to helping residents find employment opportunities to apply starting May 1, 2023.

NORWALK, CT. (May 1, 2023) – The Job Seekers Support Fund, established by Stamford-based hiring platform Indeed, with Fairfield County’s Community Foundation, launches on May 1st to provide direct support for community-based solutions serving Stamford job seekers facing barriers to employment. The Fund will offer general operating support – ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 – to nonprofit organizations addressing the multifaceted challenges that often prevent individuals from getting quality jobs. 501(c)3 organizations based in and serving Stamford are eligible to apply.

Funding will be available to local nonprofits providing critical services related to training and education, disability status, involvement with the criminal legal system, and/or work essentials such as housing and transportation.

“Indeed’s mission is to help people get jobs. We are thrilled to partner with Fairfield County’s Community Foundation to help job seekers facing barriers find employment through the Job Seekers Support Fund,” said Joe Sgrulletta, Indeed’s SVP of Sales. “Investing in one’s community is important to building opportunity, and Stamford has been part of Indeed’s story from the beginning. We look forward to continuing to work with community leaders in Fairfield County to help access better work for all.”

As the world’s largest job website, Indeed has made reducing barriers to employment a key company goal, evidenced by its global commitment to help 30M job seekers facing barriers get hired by 2030. Currently, 40% of households would fall below the poverty line if unemployed for three months. Indeed is committed to connecting people to better jobs and transforming lives for the better. The company advances this mission by working with organizations who directly serve job seekers facing barriers.

Bias and barriers in hiring make it harder for many job seekers to find, get, and keep a job, and too often traditional hiring practices reinforce those systemic biases and barriers. This means job seekers who could be a great fit for roles are never fully considered, are in jobs that are not right for them, or have to work twice as hard to find a good opportunity.

Leveraging FCCF’s local expertise, Indeed is connecting with community partners who have direct work experience with job seekers facing barriers to employment. The Job Seekers Support Fund’s streamlined and trust-based model includes an advisory committee made up of Indeed’s Stamford-based leadership and a range of community representatives who offer vital insights and advice on the specific challenges and solutions of the Stamford community.

“We are proud to partner with Indeed in their mission to support the Stamford community in scaling solutions to employment barriers to create more economic opportunity and stability for residents and their families,” said Mendi Blue Paca, President & CEO of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. “Their faith in the people and organizations closest to the problems and challenges to develop and carry out the most promising approaches for the local community is a strong example of ‘equity in action’. This funding will be transformational.”

For more information on The Job Seekers Support Fund, please visit https://fccfoundation.org/JSSFund

About Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation is partnering with our community to create a county where every person has an equitable opportunity to thrive. We work closely with community organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropists to address challenges and identify opportunities to create a stronger, more vibrant community. Informed by three decades of partnering with and serving our community, we have awarded more than $390 million in grants to nonprofits in Fairfield County and beyond. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Indeed 
More people find jobs on Indeed than anywhere else. Indeed is the #1 job site in the world (Comscore, Total Visits, September 2022) and allows job seekers to search millions of jobs in more than 60 countries and 28 languages. Over three million employers use Indeed to find and hire new employees. More than 300 million unique visitors use Indeed each month to search for jobs, post resumes, research companies and more. For more information, visit indeed.com.

Media questions may be directed to:
Mori Oriowo
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Phone: (443) 425-4834
Email: mori@turn-two.co