FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 27th, 2022
CONTACT:
Thomas Yabroff (Serve DC) – (202) 795-0104: [email protected]
Brinda Penmetsa (Serve DC) – (202) 515-6921: [email protected]
JPMorgan Chase Commits $150,000 to Support The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships’ Summer Youth Employment Program
The Grant Award underscores the power of private- public partnerships in scaling promising initiatives. Through this investment , The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships, Serve DC, will provide increased wages to participating young people in Summer Emergency Preparedness Academy.
(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnerships, Serve DC, was awarded $150,000 by JPMorgan Chase as part of their five-year $30 billion commitment to advance racial equity across the United States. With these additional funds, participating young people will receive a total of $20 per hour, over 30% more than minimum wage, as they learn to build and protect resilient communities, create pathways to civic leadership and develop career possibilities, all through service.
“JPMorgan Chase’s investment is helping to secure the next generation of civic leaders. We are proud to actualize Mayor Bowser’s vision of cultivating multi-sector partnerships to bring resources directly to our city’s most promising investment, the youth we serve,” said Alexis Squire, Chief Service Officer, and Serve DC Director.
One of 24 city programs awarded across the country, Serve DC will direct funds to support its annual Summer Youth Emergency Preparedness Academy. This ‘Learn and Serve’ program model is part of the agency's youth engagement focus and connects fifty young people, ages 14-21, to emergency preparedness activations and career readiness skills, along with civic engagement exposure and important financial literacy awareness. The Academy is also locally funded through Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP). Each year, the District’s Department of Employment Services (DOES) provides District youth ages 14 to 24 with enriching and constructive summer work experiences through subsidized placements in the private and government sectors.
“We’re thrilled to receive support for the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program from private sector partners like JPMorgan Chase. We have a shared goal to advance racial equity and commit the resources for DC youth to learn and develop the skills, attitudes, and work-based experience necessary to succeed in today’s world of work,” added DOES Director Unique Morris-Hughes.
“A teenager’s summer job is often their first job which sets the stage for developing necessary skills, a network and experience needed for future career success and economic mobility,” said Peter Scher, Mid-Atlantic Chairman and Vice Chair for JPMorgan Chase. “The DC Summer Youth program is giving students the opportunity to benefit from an inclusive economy and we are proud to support them on their mission in helping even more students.”
Program participants will train in First Aid/CPR/AED skills, attend field visits to the DC Fire and EMS Academy, the DC National Guard Hangar, and several other DC and federal agencies to learn more about careers in emergency management, civic engagement and financial awareness and health.
About Serve DC:
The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism & Partnerships (Serve DC) is the District of Columbia Government agency dedicated to promoting service and strategic partnerships as an innovative, sustainable solution to pressing social challenges. Serve DC engages District communities by building partnerships and organizational capacity, leading local and national volunteer and service initiatives, and providing and promoting meaningful service opportunities. Serve DC supports communities across the District through federal grant funds from AmeriCorps.
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