ECHO’s mission is to assist residents of unincorporated Hillsborough County who are in crisis by providing emergency food and clothing, along with life-stabilizing programs and resources.
ECHO’s Opportunity Center works with individuals every day who are ready to work but need support connecting to the right opportunities. The center hosted a job fair this past March at New Hope Church in Brandon.
“This job fair was created to address a very real need in Southeast Hillsborough County, helping neighbors move from instability (unemployment or underemployment) into sustainable employment,” said ECHO’s director of opportunity, Dianne Horncastle. “ECHO is partnering with New Hope Church and Better Together Jobs, an organization that hosts highly effective job fairs across Florida and is known for creating an encouraging, supportive experience for job seekers. Together, this collaboration allows us to create a job fair that is not just about hiring but about restoring confidence, building connections and opening doors.”
At a previous ECHO hiring event, even with just one employer present, 55 neighbors attended, and more than 30 left with contingent job offers.
“It’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when opportunity and preparation come together,” Horncastle said. “This upcoming job fair expands that impact significantly, bringing together dozens of employers and hundreds of job seekers in one place.”
Attendees got more than a traditional job fair; it was designed to be a supportive and empowering experience from start to finish.
“We had approximately 40 employers on-site who are actively hiring, along with 20 resource partners offering additional support services,” Horncastle said. “Throughout the event, volunteers greeted attendees, walked alongside them and helped make introductions to employers.”
Attendees had access to professional headshots to support their job search, a business center to print resumes if needed and padfolios provided by AdventHealth to help them stay organized and prepared. Leading up to the event, ECHO has hosted a series of workshops, including resume building, interview preparation and professional presentation, to ensure attendees feel confident and ready.
“While employer and resource partner spots for this event were full, there were still meaningful ways for the community to be involved,” Horncastle said. “We had 75-80 volunteers who helped to create a welcoming and encouraging environment. Volunteers served as guides and cheerleaders, greeting attendees, walking alongside them, helping make introductions and offering encouragement throughout the day.”
Horncastle and the team at ECHO hoped that every person who attended would leave with more than they came with at the job fair.
“That may be a job offer, a new connection, a stronger resume or renewed confidence in their ability to move forward,” Horncastle said. “We wanted neighbors to feel seen, supported and capable, and for employers to connect with individuals who were ready and motivated to work.”
If you would like to learn more about ECHO or its future job fairs, you can visit its website at https://echofl.org.
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