Ready, Willing & Able Philadelphia Names New Executive Director
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) September 11, 2014 -- The Board of Directors of Ready, Willing & Able Philadelphia announced Wednesday the appointment of Jason Miller, MSW, to the post of Executive Director, where he will lead the city’s only paid work and transitional housing program for homeless and formerly incarcerated men. Mr. Miller most recently served as Director of Strategic Initiatives and Senior Director of Clinical Services for the Bethesda Project and is a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice.
Mr. Miller will direct all aspects of the Philadelphia program, including its social services, education and job training programs, and its 70 bed residential facility. Mr. Miller will also oversee Ready, Willing & Able Philadelphia’s street cleaning initiative, which provides clients structured, steady employment at above minimum wage while uplifting the quality of life throughout city neighborhoods and parks. That initiative and the “men in blue”--as trainees in the program are known--remove over 1,000 bags of trash from parks and sidewalks each month.
“Jason’s lifelong, passionate commitment to people in need and, in particular, the unique challenges that homeless and formerly incarcerated Philadelphians face made him our first choice to serve as Ready Willing & Able's first Executive Director,” said Kate Houstoun, chair of the program’s board of directors.
Ms. Houstoun continued, "This organization has been making a giant impact on our city for years, but it can do so much more. The need is clear. Hundreds of men leave our city's shelters and prisons each year. What they need is a hand up, not a hand out. If work is critical to their recovery - like it is for so many of us - let's give them work to do that makes our city a better place. Jason saw that win-win right away. He has great vision and talent to match. We couldn't be happier to have him at the helm."
Mr. Miller’s 15 years of advocacy, social work, public policy and nonprofit leadership includes the design and implementation of large scale strategic plans and programs for the Bethesda Project, tenure as Associate Executive Director at Youth Connections, field work at the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging, as well as public policy development at Big Brother Big Sisters of America.
Mr. Miller joined the organization in September 2014.
ABOUT READY, WILLING & ABLE PHILADELPHIA
Ready, Willing & Able Philadelphia provides homeless and formerly incarcerated men with life-transforming services through a year-long transitional residential and work program. Over the course of 9 to 12 months, clients participate in paid work opportunities, educational programs and career training, life skills building, and supportive services. Upon graduation, each “trainee” has earned the tools, skills, and savings to become fully independent, self-supporting, drug free members of society and supportive fathers to their children. http://www.rwaphiladelphia.org
Ready, Willing & Able Philadelphia was developed by The Doe Fund, a New York-based nonprofit organization that provides holistic social services, supportive and transitional housing, and economic opportunity for formerly homeless and incarcerated men, veterans, and people living with AIDS.
Alexander Horwitz, The Doe Fund, http://www.doe.org, +1 (646) 672-4236, [email protected]
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