Ashon graduated from high school in 2014 in North Carolina and shortly after followed family to Baltimore. He struggled to adjust to his new environment and faced a lot of challenges with employment and stable housing.
Kyle Green graduated in 2016 from Francis Scott Key High School, not knowing what he wanted to do next. He tried college for a semester but it didn’t seem like a good fit for him. Kyle’s jobs were limited to entry-level positions with not much room for advancement.
At 59 years old Maria Jennings was ready for a career change. She was working in the hospitality industry as a housekeeper, but cleaning houses wasn’t her passion.
Taisha Ellis Brown never imagined she’d lose her job and become homeless. Until May 2019, Taisha consistently maintained employment and managed to care for her special needs son and family. However, her demanding family responsibilities caused scheduling conflicts with her job and she was eventually terminated. This caused a ripple effect that led her to move her family into transitional housing. Eager to make this a temporary living situation, Taisha needed a job ASAP.
When staff at Maryland Thermoform decided to expand their manufacturing operations in 2018, they knew they could count on the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development to help.
In 2018 Yolanda Beckett moved to Baltimore from Arizona to be closer to her family. She was interested in getting a job at Johns Hopkins Hospital, given its stellar reputation and that a family member was successfully employed there.
Students previously disengaged from school or work earn diplomas and face a brighter future
WHAT: Youth Opportunity (YO) Baltimore will host a special graduation event for its 2019 class of 30 young adults who chose to pursue alternative education after facing challenges in traditional school settings. Maryland State Senator Cory McCray, Baltimore City, District 45 will be the keynote speaker and address students from the Westside YO Center, the Eastside YO Center and the YO Academy.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase are each contributing at least $100,000 to support Baltimore City’s summer jobs program
Today, Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young gave thanks to top donors from the business and philanthropic communities for their financial support of YouthWorks, Baltimore City’s nationally recognized summer jobs program.
More than 8,000 youth and young adults to be offered summer jobs
WHAT:
Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young and Mayor’s Office of Employment Development Director Jason Perkins-Cohen will acknowledge significant contributions from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase to support YouthWorks, Baltimore City’s nationally recognized summer jobs program.
