The New York State Department of Labor’s Displaced Homemaker Program provides multipurpose vocationally related services to individuals who have been displaced from their careers as unpaid homemakers. The goal of the Displaced Homemaker Program is to help long-term homemakers develop and implement sound vocational plans leading to employment, which will allow them to become economically independent.

The needs of displaced homemakers are extensive. Besides the problems associated with economic loss – child care, transportation, housing and lack of basic necessities – the disruption of family life may result in emotional, medical and legal difficulties. Displaced homemakers often lack self-confidence and self-esteem, which can be formidable barriers to employment.

Crisis intervention, counseling, and referral to relevant community service agencies are often critical preliminary needs of displaced homemakers. Program participants can then move on to various structured job readiness programs, which teach skills ranging from assertiveness to decision making to resume writing and job seeking strategies. Individual counseling and placement services, including assessment and resume preparation, are provided to participants before, during, after, or in lieu of structured job preparation programs. Job preparation components include Job Readiness, Self Development and Job Clubs.

The services that these centers provide give individuals the opportunity to gain the confidence and self-sufficiency needed to lead a full and productive life. If you or someone you know can benefit from this program, visit or call the center nearest you.

Below is a list of NYS Displaced Homemaker Centers by county.

ALBANY/RENSSELAER/SCHENECTADY COUNTIES

Ms. Elizabeth Miller
Capital District Women's Employment and Resource Center
175 Central Avenue, 3rd Floor
Albany, NY 12206
(518) 462-7600 X187
bmiller@cdwerc.org

Chari Jones
Schenectady Community Action Program
913 Albany Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
518-374-9181
518-374-9190 (fax)
scapdhp@nycap.rr.com

CATTARAUGUS/ALLEGANY COUNTIES

Valerie Easterly
Everywoman Opportunity Center – Olean
132 N. Union Street, Suite 107
Olean, NY 14760
716-373-4013
veasterly@everywoman.org

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

Valerie Easterly
Everywoman Opportunity Center – Dunkirk
10825 Bennett Road
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-7020
veasterly@everywoman.org

ERIE COUNTY

Myrna Young
Everywoman Opportunity Centers of Western NY (5 Centers) - Buffalo
237 Main Street
Suite 330
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 847-1120
(716) 847-1550 (fax)
Myoung@everywoman.org

Ivy Diggs-Washington
Everywoman Opportunity Center – Tonawanda
899 Niagara Falls Boulevard
Tonawanda, NY 14226
716-837-2260
iwashington@everywoman.org

FULTON/MONTGOMERY/SCHOHARIE COUNTIES

Chari Jones
Schenectady Community Action Program
Fulton Montgomery Community College
2805 State Hwy. 67
Johnstown, NY 12095
518-374-9181
518-374-9190 (fax)
dpiurek@fmcc.suny.edu

Melissa Klein
Schoharie County Community Action Displaced Homemaker Program
795-East Main Street - Suite 5
Cobleskill, NY 12043
518-234-2568
518-234-3507
careerskills@sccapinc.org

HEMPSTEAD/LONG BEACH

LaVonne Erskine
EOC of Nassau County, Inc.
134 Jackson Street
Hempstead, NY 11550
(516) 292-9710
(516) 565-3768 (fax)
lerskine@eoc-nassau.org

HERKIMER/MADISON/ONEIDA COUNTIES

Eleanor Moran
Women’s Employment & Resource Center
1411 Genesee Street
Utica, NY 13501
(315) 793-9700
(315) 793-9966 (fax)
emoran46@centralny.twcbc.com

MONROE COUNTY

Virginia Clark
LIFESPAN
Women in Transition Services
1900 South Clinton Avenue
Rochester, NY 14618
585-244-8400, Ext. 127
585-244-9125 (fax)
vclark@lifespan-roch.org

NIAGARA COUNTY

Deborah Bach
Everywoman Opportunity Center – Niagara Falls
1316 Main Street, Suite A
Niagara Falls, NY 14301
716-282-8472
dbach@everywoman.org

NYC

Blanche Kellawon
Research Foundation of CUNY
Bronx Community College
West 181 Street & University Avenue, Rm. 410
Bronx, NY 10453
(718) 289-5834
(718) 289-6343 (fax)
blanche.kellawon@bcc.cuny.edu

Rachel Perl
Agudath Israel of America – Fresh Start
1756 Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11230
(718) 338-9200
(718) 377-3151 (fax)
AIFRESHSTART@yahoo.com

Anne Alfred
YWCA of the City of New York
500 West 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 735-9773
(917) 369-9096
aalfred@ywcanyc.org

Nya L. Dimbarala Gumbs Tyler
The Research Foundation of CUNY on behalf of
  LaGuardia Community College
Home to Work Center
31-10 Thomson Avenue, Room C-344
Long Island City, NY 11101
(718) 482-5166
(718) 609-2076 (fax)
hometowork@lagcc.cuny.edu

ONONDAGA COUNTY

Peggy Woods
Women's Opportunity Center
770 James Street
Syracuse, NY 13203
(315) 446-0550
wocpeggywoods@yahoo.com

ROCKLAND COUNTY

Eileen Grimm
Rockland County Guidance Center
17 South Broadway
Nyack, NY 10960
(845) 358-9390
(845) 358-4980 (fax)
eileengrimm@hotmail.com

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Josuanne Denis
FEGS Suffolk Vocational Center
445 Oak Street Street
Copiague, NY 11726
631-598-0108 X401
631-264-7787 (fax)
jdenis@fegs.org

Janet Cassidy
Suffolk County DOL
N. County Complex, Bldg. 17
Veterans Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
631-853-6540
631-853-6510 (fax)
janet.cassidy@suffolkcountyny.gov

TOMPKINS COUNTY

Dammi Herath, PhD
Women's Opportunity Center
315 North Tioga Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
(607) 272-1520
(607) 272-2251 (fax)
dammi@womensopportunity.org
Website: www.womensopportunity.org

WESTCHESTER(BALANCE)/PUTNAM COUNTIES

Mia C. Fienemann
Project Transition
Westchester Community College
75 Grasslands Road
AAB 105
Valhalla, NY 10595
(914) 606-6825
(914) 606-6508 (fax)
mia.fienemann@sunywcc.edu