Congressman Cummings Sponsors Job Fair To Support Unemployed Baltimoreans

BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- While Baltimore doesn't have the highest unemployment rate in Maryland, it does have the most people who are unemployed.

As Mike Schuh reports, half of those people looking for a job come from Baltimore, and Monday they got a boost.

There are 68,000 people out of work in Baltimore. More than 1,000 people streamed into the armory downtown Monday.

Earlean Alston, who's been looking for a job two months, has been performing odd jobs, such as babysitting for friends, anything to put food on the table.

She says she's ready to talk to the 70 plus employers lined up at the armory.

"First of all I would introduce myself. Good morning sir, I'm Earlean Alston, nice to meet you," she said.

Baltimore City police and Under Armour were present at the fair.

Reginald Stweart, 29, was at the Under Armour table applying for a job.

He's like the others looking for a better life, a better job and a better future.

"I'm just looking for a better position. Maybe more benefits. I work for a company, but we don't get benefits though. So I'm just going for better," he said.

It's Reginald's story, Earlene's story and the stories of the thousands of people at the job fair that caused Elijah Cummings, an 11-term congressman and sponsor of the job fair, to choke up.

"When I go in here, there will be people who will say to me 'Mr. Cummings, I wasn't able to get a job today, but thank you for trying. There's something about that I can't even explain it, but they know you're trying," Cummings said.

Some employers like Baltimore City police are always recruiting as they have 300 openings.

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