Oakland Mayor’s summer jobs program kicks off with $50,000 grant from Bank of America

Kudos to Oakland Chamber member Bank of America which made a $50,000 grant to support the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program.  The $50,000 grant will create 31 jobs for local teens, working with the City of Oakland, non-profit organizations, and local Oakland businesses.

Martin Richards, Bay Area Market President, Bank of America, talked about why they are supporting this program, “Teens have been disproportionally impacted by the recession, with unemployment rates exceeding those of any other age group and at an all-time high.  We are pleased to once again support the Mayor and the East Bay Community Foundation in providing jobs this summer that will provide youth with valuable skills to develop into self-sufficient adults”.

Mayor Jean Quan expressed appreciation for the financial support, “I want to thank Bank of America for again being a corporate leader in giving back to the Oakland community and stepping up to make a difference, I’m hoping other corporations and businesses will continue to work with us to lift up some of our most deserving youths and improve the quality of life for all Oaklanders”.

Quan continued, “A summer internship gives kids experiences and connections that will help them access the critical jobs pipeline later in life. Kids who get these internships are more likely to graduate high school, more likely to go to college and more likely to find productive employment.

To help connect unemployed and underemployed people, including young adults, with training and educational opportunities, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has made workforce development and education among its top philanthropic priorities. Grant funding supports job training programs, such as community college access programs for middle and high school students, technical assistance and training for small businesses as well as nonprofit organization programs that connect unemployed workers with available job opportunities.

This year, the City of Oakland intends to train and place over 1,000 youth into summer jobs. To meet this goal, they are looking to the private sector to create over 2,000 jobs. To support the jobs program and hire a youth for summer 2013, please make a tax-deductible contribution to support local youth by contacting the Mayor’s Office at (510) 238-3141 or meverhart@oaklandnet.com.