Business of the Week – Rocky Mountain SER

You help your community thrive when you shop locally!

Be sure to read The Prowers Journal each week when the Lamar Chamber of Commerce
and The Prowers Journal highlight a featured Business of the Week.

This week we are proud to spotlight the Rocky Mountain SER.
Give them a call at: 719.336-9019

Rocky Mountain SER (Service Employment Redevelopment) is a community based organization located at 405 E. Olive Street in Lamar. The local office is part of the Workforce Division of the organization and is co-located with the Southeast Workforce Center. The local RMSER office provides employment and training services under the Workforce Investment Act to eligible Migrant and Seasonal farm workers in Southeast Colorado.

The 167 National Farmworker Jobs Program is a program designed to assist farm workers with both training and supportive services which will enable the participants to gain other employment opportunities outside of agriculture. The training can be either through a community college like Lamar Community College or through On the Job Training with local employers who may be interested in training for positions on site. The OJT program provides employers with 50% hourly reimbursement when they hire a RMSER participant. The program also assists those farm workers wishing to remain in agriculture work with supportive services to stabilize their families living conditions when they arrive each summer to work in local farms. Supportive services are provided to assist with transportation, rent and utility assistance, food and other items necessary when migrants arrive for work locally. Training related supportive services are also available to those needing tools, equipment, clothing or transportation to participants in training activities.

Local Field Representative Gerry Jenkins has worked for RMSER for over five years in the Lamar Workforce Center. She is part of the Workforce Division of RMSER and her goal is to assist farm workers in getting employed, retaining employment and to also help them earn higher earnings when they complete the program. Gerry works closely with other local agencies to coordinate the services provided by those organizations to farm workers.

Rocky Mountain SER is a state wide organization with over 600 employees throughout Colorado. The Corporate Office of RMSER is located in Denver, Colorado. RMSER was formed on October 1, 1980 as a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to provide employment, training, and educational opportunities to Colorado’s disadvantaged populations. RMSER receives approximately $24 million each year (in the form of government grants, corporate and public support) and provides direct services to Colorado’s disadvantaged. As a service provider in 54 of Colorado’s 64 counties, RMSER has advanced the common good of Colorado’s disadvantaged by providing them with employment, training and educational opportunities. RMSER is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of community leaders from throughout Colorado including Head Start parents and private business representatives.

Rocky Mountain SER has three main divisions in the corporation. The Workforce Division is directed by Leon Ortega, Director of Workforce Programs, the Education Division (Head Start Program) is directed by Judy Lopez and the Youth & Community Service Division is directed by Jermaine Stafford. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RMSER is Christopher Anderson.

RMSER’s culturally sensitive Head Start Programs educate over 2,200 children yearly who are enrolled throughout the State of Colorado. RMSER is the largest Head Start provider in Colorado and throughout Region VIII (eight states). RMSER has recently acquired the Migrant Head Start programs providing Head Start services to Migrant Farmworker children in Northern and Western Colorado.

RMSER’s Youth & Community Service Director Jermaine Stafford—a former Olympian and professional athlete—and his staff combine superior training principles, expert academic coaching, skilled mentoring strategies, and the commitment to facilitate unprecedented progress for all participants. Stafford developed a variety of affordable and no-cost programs directed by highly experienced and reputable professionals for people of all ages.

Jermaine Stafford will be the Keynote Speaker at the 6th Annual Voces Unidas Banquet on Saturday, October 13th. Come and meet Jermaine at the event.

For more information about Rocky Mountain SER, visit us at www.rmser.org.