The Jeweled Messenger

The Jeweled Messenger is a new vocational program for individuals who have barriers to employment. We will use a farm to table restaurant, bar and hotel as our job training center located in a high traffic area in the scenic McKenzie Highway. 

Young adults who are at risk and young adults who experience disability are often excluded from vocational programs due to the curriculum and program requirements. To obtain employment many entry level jobs require a high school equivalency, however this level of completion in education is often not achieved due to poor special education services and at risk youth who may opt to drop out of school. The Jeweled Messenger is focused on hospitality and healthcare job skills for our students. The job skills learned can be transferrable into independent living skills which is another barrier for these two populations.

The Jeweled Messenger wants to change the trajectory of these young adults. Our project plan is to create human centered job training curriculum that meets the student where they are at. Our team designs custom training to allow the student to gain the necessary skills to complete job tasks within our organization. Using person centered strategies our training team is able to dive deep into what works and what does not work for a student and uses that information to build support tools for the student. Over time the curriculum developed can be leveraged to scale the training program for more students to have access to our program. The young adults who would access the training program would come from referrals  through established community partners such as the Eugene School District and Lane County Disability Services. The referral process is the most secure way of on boarding our students as both, at risk youth and youth who experience I/DD, are vulnerable individuals for in person learning.

Our uniqueness is that we will be running a hotel/restaurant/bar as our training center. The Jeweled Messenger is located along the busy McKenzie Highway in Oregon. Not only is the property well known, it has a following of community customers anxious for The Jeweled Messenger to open. The McKenzie Highway is the gateway from the city to year round recreational adventures. The community along the McKenzie River and McKenzie Highway is very inclusive and welcoming.  For the past several months The Jeweled Messenger took the time to get to know our neighbors and understand their needs/wants. A revitalized restaurant, bar and hotel is greatly desired. The Jeweled Messenger is very proud to be an active community partner with the local McKenzie Highway community. 

The management team of The Jeweled Messenger consists of Guillermo & Sydney Chamorro and Aidan Shook. Sydney has spent the past 19 years as an advocate for individuals who experience an Intellectual Developmental Disability (i.e.; Autism, Down syndrome, etc.). Sydney co created The Emerald Family Down Syndrome Network, ran the Family Network for Lane County and then in 2014 Sydney co-created an organization that focused on community inclusion for young adults. The business was a quiet success where little money was spent on client acquisition, most clients were on boarded through word of mouth. Annual revenue for years 2018-2021 was approx. $950,000. Aidan is a 19yr old student who is hungry to access vocational supports, yet nothing exists currently that will provide the necessary supports and curriculum to build a full life for him. This is why The Jeweled Messenger was formed.

The Jeweled Messenger plans to use social marketing strategies to drive followers and potential subscribers to our pages to demonstrate and celebrate our successes. Our brand is to show inclusiveness, innovation and community. We know showing videos and photos of our students and our customers together will be a very uplifting message to the broader community. 

The majority of the money raised will be used to bring the restaurant/bar/hotel up to code as well as making additions to make the property more environmentally sound. The hotel/bar area was constructed in the late 1940's so the updating is extensive. Very little of the money requested will go to salary paid to the Chamorro's. Once we are able to open our doors to students and customers we will have multiple opportunities for different revenue streams. 

 

We are looking for investors who want to make a lasting impact on youth who are often forgotten and not asked to be at the table. We believe all young adults are capable of having a full life. We at The Jeweled Messenger are agents of change.