LongIslandYid

Dear valued and cherished reader,

It’s the Long Island Yid here: husband, behavior technician, psychology student, and aspiring addiction counselor with a simple belief: Sometimes, all anyone really needs is to occupy their time with something positive. This is why I’m excited to announce the Purpose & Skills Center, a place for individuals like teens and young adults, individuals in recovery, and people seeking a career change, all while paving one’s own path towards a meaningful life, replacing potentially destructive tendencies with hands-on skilled trade training, friendship and mental health education.

Boredom fuels bad choices, plain and simple—overspending, overeating, or worse, especially for folks in recovery or going through tough times, when destructive tendencies can hit even harder. I firmly believe we can replace these habits with healthy, productive ones, making every moment time well spent. Learning trades like carpentry, plumbing, or HVAC offers a meaningful path. It also builds community. As Dale Carnegie of blessed memory says in How to Win Friends and Influence People, we all crave belonging, and a career in the trades offers a chance to belong and so much more (Carnegie, 1981/1936).

Picture a young adult, maybe in recovery, spending an evening wiring a circuit or crafting a table alongside others facing their own demons. Each moment spent mitigates time for harmful habits, building genuine relationships, and paving the way to a “legitimate career” with potential to eventually create businesses and generate real wealth. Initially, I envision monthly 2-hour workshops with 30 minutes of mental health education, 30 minutes of skilled trade-related education, and 60 minutes of hands-on shop time. We’ll also host monthly seminars with mental health specialists, tradesmen, or other guest speakers to share words of inspiration and wisdom. Down the road, I envision “open shop” on weeknights for people to come and perfect their craft. I also envision deals between students and instructors for formal apprenticeships and jobs, plus counselors on-site for meaningful mental health breakthroughs, making the Purpose & Skills Center not just for today but for generations!

Join Our Mission

We’re starting small due to limited funding, with the goal of a pilot workshop in January 2026 for 10–20 participants in a community space. If we see traction (e.g., 10–15 returning participants), we’ll move to monthly workshops by February 2026, then perhaps weekly by April. Our long-term goal? By December 2026, with strong community backing, we aim to open a facility 3–5 days a week, 12 PM to 11 PM, for drop-in skill practice and mentorship. Here’s how you can help:

– **Venue Partners**: Offer a space (e.g., synagogue, JCC, community center) for our pilot or monthly workshops by November 2025.

– **Trade Volunteers**: Are you a carpenter, electrician, or HVAC tech? Lead a hands-on lesson or speak at our pilot by November 2025.

– **Funders**: Donate $50–$500 for tools and materials (e.g., $100 equips one participant) via our GoFundMe https://gofund.me/38583590 by November 2025.

– **Mentors/Partners**: Mental health professionals or organizations (e.g., New Horizon Counseling Center, Madreigos) can help shape our curriculum, recruit participants, counseling, and give presentations, by November 2025.

– **Spread the Word**: Share this post to connect us with those who can help.

Email me @ LongIslandYid613631@gmail.com, visit our GoFundMe @ https://gofund.me/38583590, or share this post to help teens, young adults, and anyone seeking positive change to build futures through trades and recovery.

Let’s start with one workshop, prove the impact, and grow into a life-changing daily resource together!

Carnegie, D. (1981). How to Win Friends and Influence People. Pocket Books.