When Royal Canin announced the permanent closure of its manufacturing facility in Rolla, Missouri, more than 100 people lost their jobs. Keith Smith was one of them. But rather than see the closure as an ending, Keith turned it into the starting point for an entirely...
When Stephanie Stapleton reached out to the Columbia Job Center, she was a single mother working a low-wage position at a gas station, trying to make ends meet. She was looking for a job that could truly provide for her family, and she had already made a plan to get...
Some partnerships show their impact in spreadsheets. Others show it in smiles that last for days. On Wednesday, July 1, Central Region Youth Specialist Paula Pogue joined a crew from Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation for a full day of service at Wonderland Camp,...
When DeAundre separated from the Marine Corps in 2023, he traded one kind of service for another. He came to a Central Region Job Center in January 2024, unemployed but clear about what he wanted next: a career built around helping people. That clarity led him to...
When Meghan Zahnter walked into the Central Region Job Center in December 2023, she was juggling two part-time jobs, one as a CNA and another as a waitress. She had her sights set on something bigger: nursing school. The following month, Meghan began the Associate...
When Donald Jones arrived at the Columbia Job Center in January 2026, he was carrying more than a resume. A justice-involved veteran rebuilding his life while staying at Welcome Home, a shelter serving veterans in Columbia, Donald was relying on public transportation...
