TRENTON, NJ (July 8, 2019) – Bank of America Charitable Foundation recently awarded a $50,000 grant to Millhill Child & Family Development to support the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP). The program is a public-private partnership with the City of Trenton, Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce and Millhill Child & Family Development.
“It is critical to provide tools and resources to help support youth employment in our local communities. We’re proud to support SYEP and Millhill in bringing forth the opportunity to help chart a path for future employment success,” said Robert Doherty, New Jersey market president, Bank of America.
The program serves young people of Trenton (ages 16-21) who often times come from neighborhoods with the highest levels of poverty and violence. The goal of the program is to provide Trenton teens with valuable summer employment and to help them find, keep, and excel in a job and build a path for future employment and educational achievement.
“Considering Bank of America’s deep commitment to providing opportunity to underserved communities, Millhill is excited to continue our partnership to provide job training and employment to Trenton youth,” explains Cynthia Oberkofler, Executive Director, Millhill.
Now in its fourth year, youth have been placed in summer jobs in government, nonprofit, and private sector organizations. Trenton youth received job training at Rider University and began employment for six weeks in July. Youth received job readiness training which focused on resume writing, interviewing skills, giving and receiving feedback and presenting a professional image to prepare them for success. After the job training, youth were matched with opportunities to work in the arts, business, education, culinary, camp counseling, and trade fields for the summer.
The program has employed more than 300 students during the summer for the past three years. As part of the program, the city employs a number of youth in its summer recreation, food service programs or clerical positions. Youth enrolling through Millhill are employed predominantly in area non-profits that are members of Millhill’s Trenton Area Stakeholders.
Vincent, a participant in last year’s Summer Youth Employment Program credits the program with opening his eyes to possible career paths otherwise not known to him. Due to his participation in the program, Vincent is now planning to pursue at path working as a firefighter and is exploring college options and majors that will help him to achieve his goals. “I learned that I am capable of more than I expected from myself,” explained Vincent.
Millhill Child & Family Development
Millhill Child & Family Development es una organización sin ánimo de lucro 501(c)(3) dedicada a ayudar a niños y familias del área metropolitana de Trenton a través de la educación, el asesoramiento, los servicios de apoyo familiar y las colaboraciones comunitarias que abarcan desde una edad temprana hasta la edad adulta. Fundada en 1971, Millhill atiende a más de 6.500 personas de la comunidad con la ayuda de personal dedicado, voluntarios y colaboradores financieros. Millhill empodera vidas utilizando un enfoque que es a la vez individualizado y colaborativo teniendo en cuenta la dinámica de toda la familia. Los servicios se ofrecen en 101 Oakland Street y 802 Prospect Street en Trenton, NJ. Para obtener más información sobre nuestros programas, visite www.www.millhillcenter.org o visite el Facebook en facebook.com/millhillchildandfamily.
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