Eternity Temple First Born Church of the Living God

MANATEE COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- A computer lab at a Palmetto church is now becoming a resource for the unemployed.
The center is a part of the Eternity Temple First Born Church. Pastor Lawrence Livingston originally put it together to help children with their homework.
"I want to make sure we have all the advancement we can provide to our people in the church and the community," Livingston said.
Those advancements come at a cost and it's extra money the church doesn't have, so Livingston sacrificed his own salary to help keep the center open.
Each computer is connected to the Internet and job seekers make appointments to use the facility and look for work -- a formula that is already producing results.
"A young lady just called me last week and she was very excited. She came in to use the computer a couple of times, and she called me and said 'I got a job,'" Livingston said.

Sandra Smith has experience in dietary, home care and clerical work; but she's unemployed.
"I know I've got 60 applications out there," she said.
While she has a computer at home, Smith can no longer afford the Internet after losing her job more than a year ago. The center provides her a way to apply for more jobs.
"I definitely see it as a necessity because even looking for jobs, some places don't have paper applications," Smith said. "That is when I use the center."
Smith has interviewed for three jobs since she started using the computers at the welcome center.
The center also offers free computer classes, and the lab is open to anyone in the community.