Missouri Jobs Center opens office in OCH building on Mt. Vernon square

The Missouri Job Center has opened a new office on the square in Mt. Vernon, inside the Ozark Community Hospital (OCH) building. The new office opened on Monday, Aug. 12.
Bill Smillie, a business service specialist with the MJC, said the new office was opened to serve Missouri Work Assistance Clients who cannot travel to the Monett or Joplin offices.
“Joplin is 45 miles away, and so for a participant to drive to Joplin from (Mt. Vernon), it’s a hardship,” he said. “You might not have enough money for food, and then you have to buy gas, or maybe your car isn’t working properly. So, to be in this area and to serve individuals right down the street, it’s good.”
 Smillie added that the office shouldn’t be confused with the Missouri Jobs Center, Southwest Region office in Joplin. That office is for job seekers needing help finding employment or improving their job skills, but not necessarily facing barriers to employment such as transportation or childcare.
Katherine Trombetta, communications coordinator for the MJC, Ozark Region, said Missouri Works Assistance is a program for people referred to the MJC by the Family Support Division of the State of Missouri.
“Missouri Work Assistance provides a range of services in the areas of health care, food assistance, child support, temporary assistance, child care, energy assistance and services for the blind, among others,” she said.
The MJC building is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information on services or the Missouri Works Assistance program, call Bill Smillie at (417) 880-5692 or (417) 839-7630.