- Shapiro & Duncan, Inc., a D.C. metro area mechanical solutions provider, announced that it has continued to deepen its support of the local Hispanic community through its ongoing relationship with Identity, a nonprofit organization in Montgomery County that assists over 3000 Latino youth, their families and others.
Shapiro & Duncan’s achievements with Identity to-date were also recently recognized by the Telemundo Washington DC’s 5th Annual Montgomery County Hispanic Heritage Award. The company was one of five awardees from different community sectors celebrated for their commitment to Hispanic youth and adults through their work and leadership roles as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.
Identity provides a wealth of resources, assisting thousands of students and disconnected youth living in high-poverty areas of Montgomery County. They work with these youth in schools and the community to help improve social and emotional learning, achieve academic success, and prepare for work.
Shapiro & Duncan, who has partnered with Identity for more than 10 years, continues to see the value in connecting with and supporting the local Hispanic community, by providing them pathways to employment, education and success. Currently, one-third of the company’s workforce is comprised of Hispanic employees, both in the office and the field. Shapiro & Duncan’s team finds value in working with Identity to recruit staff for all areas of its business - from installation of mechanical systems to safety, marketing, accounting and HR, among others. Since joining forces with Identity, Shapiro & Duncan has hired dozens of its youth to expand its mission and begin the path to building a successful career.
“We really value this positive and supportive relationship” says Identity’s Executive Director Diego Uriburu, “Shapiro and Duncan have given our young people a chance to realize their full potential and enrich our community.”
“Being recognized for doing the right thing is always an honor,” Shapiro & Duncan’s CEO, Sheldon Shapiro said. “While some employers may see hiring these individuals as a risk, we see nothing but opportunity and the ability to give back to our community by providing these youth and their families with a productive path to success and building a life and career for themselves. We are pleased to continue our partnership with Identity to support them and the local Hispanic community in the future.”
The recruitment and hiring approach between Identity and Shapiro & Duncan is a collaborative process. Identity on-boards the youth and their family members, helping to get them on the right path from the get-go with curriculum-based job-readiness training, academic enrichment and tutoring, training and career navigation like soft skills training, GED preparation and English as a Second Language classes if necessary, resources and preparation and training for job interviews. Then, Shapiro & Duncan steps in, interviewing individuals for everything from internships to full-time positions. Following this, many interviewees from Identity receive job offers for long-term employment at the company, as well as the opportunity for advancement and to build a career, rather than just do a job.
“I know that getting involved with Identity was the changing point in my life,” said Shapiro & Duncan’s Safety Director, Roberto Morejon. “I came from a situation where if I didn’t change my course I would have ended up down a dark path. But Identity had a great impact by opening up my eyes to the opportunities around me and providing the means to set me on the road to a successful career and positive life style.”
“The partnership with Shapiro & Duncan has given our youth and their families more than just support - it has given them opportunity and most importantly, hope,” said Teresa Wright, an educator and member of Identity’s board of directors. “We are so honored to have Shapiro & Duncan working alongside us in helping to achieve our mission of providing support, resources, and life skills to the local youth and families we serve.”
For more information about Shapiro & Duncan or the Telemundo Washington DC’s 5th Annual Montgomery County Hispanic Heritage Awards, please visit www.shapiroandduncan.com.
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