A MADE POSSIBLE LB SERIES
Dymond’s Breakthrough — and the Long Beach Program That Helped Power It
Dymond Bell’s journey with Merge Opportunities shows what’s possible when young adults have access to meaningful career paths.
Dymond Bell sits in the lobby of Merge Opportunties’ Long Beach Office
Photo by Thomas Cordova
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Part of Building the Future Here, a sponsored series of stories, resources, and experiences made possible by the organizations and businesses shaping Long Beach’s tomorrow. This content was produced independently of the Long Beach Post newsroom, which was not involved in its creation.
For over a year, Dymond Bell held things together by bouncing between shelters and friends’ couches, all while navigating a fragmented web of services on her own after aging out of the foster care system. Her housing situation became even more precarious in August, when the 22-year-old found herself living in an abandoned car.
With nowhere to go — and no family to help pay rent or basic necessities — she turned to the Long Beach Multi-Service Center, a resource hub for people experiencing homelessness. She was soon connected with Merge Opportunities, a Long Beach nonprofit that provides job placement and career- and life-skills training for young adults aged 18 to 28, like Bell.
Instead of placing Bell in a job for another company or agency, Merge hired her directly as a paid intern, recognizing her drive and readiness to grow.
“There are so many young adults like Bell who don’t have an advocate, and don’t have access to opportunities to build the skills necessary to thrive in the workplace,” said Erin Earlywine, CEO of Merge Opportunities. “We saw a huge need and knew we could do something about it.”
Why Workforce Support Changes Futures
For young adults like Dymond, a good job can mark the start of an entirely different future.
- Just 3% of former foster youth earn a college degree by age 25, and only 50% of former foster youth are employed by age 25, Los Angeles County figures show.
- Early unemployment leaves a lasting “scarring effect” on lifetime earnings, harming the individual and the broader economy. Timely access to work and training can narrow that long-term earnings gap.
- Research shows that strong job and workforce training programs are linked to lower risks of homelessness and justice involvement, and to higher self-esteem and overall well-being.
Earlywine and others at Merge know that they must address the “whole person,” including housing, food and transportation — and that they need strong partnerships with government agencies and other nonprofits.
When the recent government shutdown temporarily halted Bell’s food benefits, Earlywine tapped into her own community network for help. She reached out to her group of Wilson High School water polo moms, and together they brought fresh groceries and kitchen essentials — including a Crock-Pot — to Bell’s housing complex. It was a community-driven gesture that reflects the kind of support Merge weaves into its career pathways work.
Merge Opportunities staff convene in the organization’s conference room for a team meeting. Left to right: Kevin Somo, Haben Berhe, Ricky Gonzalez, Dymond Bell, and Erin Earlywine.
Photo by Thomas Cordova
“I feel like so many things in my life have been a struggle, and I finally got a break and found people who really cared…Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve been thriving.”
Dymond Bell, Paid Intern, Merge Opportunities
Merge was founded in April 2022 by Earlywine’s husband, Barry Vince, president of Motive Workforce Solutions, a staffing agency that specializes in engineering, aerospace, alternative energy and other industries that need employees with niche skills. Over the past three years, Merge has placed nearly 300 young adults in well-paying jobs — and helps keep them in those jobs with support both before and after clients begin working.
With over 30 years of recruiting experience and a personal journey in recovery, Vince envisioned Merge as an opportunity to leverage his professional network and partnerships to open doors for those facing systemic barriers to employment.
Many clients like Bell are former foster youth, but Merge also serves those who are justice-impacted, recovering from substance use challenges, veterans, and those in underserved and under-resourced areas.
The nonprofit has formed partnerships with nearly three dozen agencies and community organizations, who refer hundreds of clients for help with career training and placement.
Merge starts by guiding individuals through career exploration and development of needed skills, then assists with resume writing, networking, interviewing, public speaking and personal presentation to potential employers.
The nonprofit, with a post-placement retention rate of 78%, also nurtures and supports employed clients through coaches, mentors and ongoing training.
When a Paycheck Becomes a Gateway Wage
For many young adults, the first decent wage can be the difference between constantly juggling bills and finally getting a bit of breathing room.
- Merge’s average $21/hr moves participants toward the local living-wage threshold, giving them a clearer runway past the “benefits cliff” — the point when a small earnings increase can suddenly reduce or cut off key public benefits.
- Translation: fewer trade-offs between rent, food and transit mean higher retention for employers.
The average pay for those who complete Merge’s program is $21 an hour, well above the state minimum wage.
Beyond pay, however, Bell says she has new hope for her future. She believes she can succeed in a respected field and that her work will meaningfully help others with a similar background.
“I can’t believe I got this chance,” she said. “I feel like so many things in my life have been a struggle, and I finally got a break and found people who really cared.”
She credits Earlywine and others, including program director Haben Berhe, for helping her learn new skills like Microsoft Excel, data processing, writing and office management.
“Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve been thriving,” Bell said.
The impact of Merge’s work has already been recognized. The Stars & Stripes Children’s Foundation, which raises large sums for nonprofits that serve youth and young adults, named Merge an honorary charity in 2024. The foundation provided the initial funding that allowed Merge to get off the ground, and this year their continued support helped Merge triple both its funding and its impact, opening an even wider set of opportunities for young adults like Bell.
Business partners benefit from having a resource like Merge with a steady pipeline of job-ready candidates who are motivated to build long-term careers. Some of the placement opportunities have come from firms in the solar and environmental fields, as well as service industries, warehousing and other jobs.
Merge recently launched its JobRaiser campaign, asking companies this season to donate jobs and offer introductions to employers for youth in need. If you know an employer, HR contact or a “friend of a friend” who may be hiring, get in touch.
“Every introduction has the power to change a life,” Earlywine said.
MERGE OPPORTUNITIES
Opening doors to career pathways for young adults in Long Beach.
Introduce a young person to a local employer.
300+ youth placed into jobs
78% retention rate after placement
30+ agency partners across Long Beach
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Merge Opportunities is closing the year by focusing on connections, not donations. If you know a hiring manager, HR lead, or business owner, your intro can help Merge connect motivated young adults with employers who value readiness, drive, and potential.
More from Merge Opportunities: JobRaiser Overview
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