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Non-Profit Moves To Serve More of Chicago's
Youth Seeking Jobs
Jerry Roper & Brendan Reilly
Cut Ribbon
at Open House of Jobs For Youth
CHICAGO, IL. (September 21, 2007) –
Jobs For Youth/Chicago (JFY), Chicago's largest non-profit
dedicated to helping low-income 17-24 year olds find jobs,
has a mission: make a difference in the lives of Chicago's
over 100,000 youth ages 16-24 not working nor in school.
Jobs For Youth is making good on that mission by moving into
8,000 more square feet of space to serve more of Chicago's
youth and the Chicago business community who hire them.
For over twenty-seven years, Jobs For Youth has provided
job training services to Chicago's youth and provided Chicago's
business community with motivated, job-ready workers. On September
1, 2007, Jobs For Youth/Chicago moved into 8,000 more square
feet of space to their new home at 17 N. State Street, 6th
Floor. On October 18 from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m., Jobs For Youth
will host an Open House for the community. Jerry Roper, President
and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, will cut the
ribbon. 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly was invited to also
partake in the ribbon cutting;
"Jobs For Youth is excited about our new space,"
said Robert Barnett, Jobs For Youth's Executive Director.
"We work with over 1,200 of Chicago's youth every year
looking for a job or wanting to get their GED".
With this increased space, we want to touch even more lives.
We are proud that twelve months after graduating from the
pre-employment/life skills workshop, 76% of our graduates
are either working and/or in school."
Jobs For Youth is a program that assists young men and women
from low-income families become a part of the economic mainstream;
and, in the process, provide the business community with motivated,
job-ready workers. The core program includes pre-employment
training, job placement, GED instruction and supportive services.
All services are free to the clients.
"We are making a difference in the lives of young people
everyday," said Darlene Chaleff, JFY Board President.
"In FY07, our graduates made $2.58 more per hour than
Illinois' minimum wage. And of the 880 job placements we made
in FY07, over 64% of our clients were from the following communities
like Chatham, Auburn Gresham, Kenwood, Austin, Englewood and
Roseland."
Learn more about Jobs For Youth at their Open House on Thursday,
October 18 from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. at 17 N. State Street, 6th
Floor. Aside from the ribbon cutting by Roper, there will
be a room dedication ceremony to honor its special donors
- The Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation, The Harry and Jeanette
Weinberg Foundation and Mr. Howard Ecker. Tours of the organization,
cocktails and light hors d'ouevres follow. Open to the public.
More information and RSVP at www.jfychicago.org.
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