Building Careers. Strengthening Communities.

Since 1985.

Healthy Communities Start With Economic Opportunity

Across the country, employers face workforce shortages while thousands of talented individuals struggle to access stable, family-sustaining careers.

At JARC, we believe these challenges are connected.

By providing hands-on training, career coaching, supportive services, and employer partnerships, we help individuals gain the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to succeed while helping businesses build the workforce they depend on.

40+

Years of Impact

3

Locations

Thousands

of Individuals Served

Hundreds

of Employer Partners

Employers Need Good Workers.
Workers Need Good Jobs.

Inspired By Jane Addams

JARC takes its name from Jane Addams, the pioneering social reformer, community leader, and Nobel Peace Prize winner who founded Hull House in Chicago in 1889.

Jane Addams believed that strong communities are built when people have access to opportunity, education, and meaningful work.

More than a century later, that vision continues to guide everything we do.

Our Journey

1985

The Beginning

JARC was founded in Chicago’s Ravenswood Industrial Corridor to preserve manufacturing jobs and strengthen local economic opportunity.

1990s

Expanding Opportunity

JARC expanded beyond economic development to provide direct career training for job seekers and community residents.

2000s

Building Expertise

JARC became a recognized leader in manufacturing workforce development.

2015

Baltimore Launch

JARC launched its first affiliate in Baltimore, Maryland, expanding its workforce development model beyond Chicago and bringing new opportunities to additional communities.

2023

Providence Launch

JARC opened a training center in Providence, Rhode Island, extending access to workforce training and career pathways across the region.

Today

Growing Impact

JARC continues to expand facilities, partnerships, and innovative programs that help individuals build careers while strengthening local economies.

Where we are Today

Chicago, IL

Our original home and the foundation
of our workforce development model.

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Baltimore, MD

Supporting job seekers, workers,
and employers throughout Maryland.

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Providence, RI

Expanding access to workforce training and career pathways across Rhode Island.

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Our Mission

We ensure that people who work do not live in poverty.

WE BELIEVE…

  • Everyone who works has the right to a living wage; that training leads to better paying jobs; and that the key to long term, substantive change for people is a focus on careers.
  • Business and employee success are inextricably tied; we work to bridge economic activity and people.
  • In supporting the regional manufacturing base because it is a source of careers and living wages.
  • Best practices should inform public policy and that JARC has a role to play in shaping that policy.

WE VALUE…

  • Our clients’ efforts to be better prepared for work and life; and we present them with opportunities and support them in pursuit of their goals.
  • A warm, welcoming and inclusive environment.
  • Quality services.

WE MAINTAIN…

  • High standards and high expectations for ourselves, our clients and our partners.
  • Unquestionable ethics demonstrated through transparency, honesty and fairness.
  • A nimble organization that responds quickly to changes in our environment and to the needs of our customers.

Building The Next Generation Of Opportunity

As workforce needs continue to evolve, JARC remains focused on expanding access to training, strengthening employer partnerships, and creating new pathways to economic mobility.

Helping people build careers. Supporting communities. Creating opportunity.

1985: Foundation

  • JARC was founded as an economic development agency in the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor (Chicago) with a focus on preserving manufacturing jobs in the neighborhood.

1990s: Expansion to Career Training

  • JARC expanded its focus to include direct career training for local job seekers and community residents.
  • The organization began implementing the Sectoral Model of workforce development to train individuals for in-demand positions.

2000s: Leadership in Workforce Development

  • JARC became a recognized leader in job training and employer engagement.
  • The Manufacturing Bridge Program was launched to help lower-skilled adults improve math and reading skills, enabling them to pursue advanced training.
  • Training focus shifted to emerging areas like CNC (Computer Numerical Control) Machining and Welding in response to changes in the manufacturing sector.
  • Financial support services, including financial coaching and public benefits screening, were scaled up to help participants meet their basic needs and build wealth.

2015: National Expansion

  • JARC launched a separate 501(c)(3) affiliate in Baltimore, MD, marking its first major expansion outside Chicago.

Recent Years: Further Growth

  • JARC expanded its programs to the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s west side, addressing both challenges and opportunities in that area.
  • May 2023: JARC successfully opened a training center in Providence, RI, further extending its reach to new communities and scaling its impact.