For more than 30 years...

The Holy Family Job Support Group was started in 1986 by Father Med Laz, stating one Sunday Morning that he noticed a number of parishioners were coming to him to talk about being jobless or having problems with their current position. So, he offered to meet with anyone to discuss their job situations on Saturday morning at 7:30 — in his kitchen.

The late Brian Healy was a parishioner who was unhappy in his job situation. He suddenly woke up early Saturday morning and decided to attend the pastor’s kitchen meeting.

Only a few people attended the meeting, but Brian felt better after attending and decided to go to the next meeting. From there, the group grew with Brian and Ed Layman as leaders of the group.

The group offers support to parishioners and non-parishioners, and to anyone regardless of religious preference. The group’s been so successful, it’s been written up in the Wall Street Journal.

What makes the group so unique is the group of volunteers, called the 24/7 mentors, who lend continuity to the group. Every 24/7 has been out of a job at least once. They know the feelings and hopelessness that can paralyze a job seeker so they can speak from the heart to help someone in whatever they need in the way of job support.

The collective knowledge of the 24/7 group allows it to adapt strategies and support every type of job situation. The collaborative effort of the 24/7 group spills over to the attendees who, in turn, offer their support. Such a vibrancy and positive vibe permeates the group so that the “good feeling” is passed to anyone attending the meeting.

The Job Support Group is one of the longest running job support groups in the Chicago area because it has adapted with the times. The group adjusts strategies to educate job seekers how to do a job search using the newest technologies as well as using tried and true methods. It’s also one of the few groups that helps both the job seeker and their families because it recognizes that stress affects the entire family.