Citi Foundation's Youth Workforce Fund to Prepare Youth Workforces for Employment Needs in their Local Communities

New York – The Citi Foundation today announced that 15 community organizations have been selected as recipients of Youth Workforce Fund. The $3.75 million fund is supporting community organizations in key cities across the United States to help them expand their programming and connect low-income youth to a range of employment opportunities.

Each grantee will receive $250,000 in financial support to enhance their networks and capacity to plug youth into apprenticeships, internships and vocational training programs that are specific to local employment opportunities including healthcare, culinary arts and information technology. Each community organization will also have access to technical assistance and opportunities to share best practices. Collectively, this cohort of the Youth Workforce Fund is expected to reach 3,500 youth across the country.

The Youth Workforce Fund is part of the Citi Foundation's three year $100MM global Pathways to Progress initiative, which focuses on career readiness initiatives that provide youth job seekers the full range of services needed for long-term employment and economic success. According to the Citi Foundation's Global Youth Survey: Economic Prospects & Expectations, 78% of young people surveyed believe that internships and apprenticeships are critical for career success, however, 60% say there are not enough of these opportunities in their cities.

"Youth Workforce Fund grantees are helping to equip local youth with the skills and training necessary to fill employment needs in their communities," said Brandee McHale, president of the Citi Foundation. "By addressing the skills mismatch these organizations are opening new doors for young workers across America and introducing them to long-term, meaningful career opportunities in their local communities."

"We know that young people in our communities are hungry for work experience and opportunity," said Buffalo, NY Mayor Byron Brown. "With the support of Citi Foundation's Youth Workforce Fund, organizations like Say Yes to Buffalo are connecting local youth to quality internships and setting them on a path to financial independence."

"Citi Foundation's Youth Workforce Fund is focused on expanding the work of local organizations like Clara White Mission, an organization that is doing important work in matching Jacksonville youth with internships and apprenticeships specifically designed to address local environmental challenges," said Jacksonville, FL Mayor Lenny Curry.

"Setting up our future workforce for success through internships is crucial to the economic success of Sioux Falls, said Sioux Falls, SD Mayor Paul TenHaken. "Thanks to the support of Citi Foundation's Youth Workforce Fund, Southeast Technical Institute can connect more young talent with local businesses in need of quality talent."

"As one of Wilmington's oldest community organizations, West End Neighborhood House plays an important role in driving progress in our community," said Wilmington, DE Mayor Mike Purzycki. "With support from Citi Foundation, it will expand its work to help more young people find jobs and gain the necessary work experience to begin their careers."

The Youth Workforce Fund supports leading community organizations in 15 U.S. cities including Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Florence, KY; Jacksonville, FL; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Newark, NJ; New York, NY; San Francisco, CA; Sioux Falls, SD; Tampa, FL; Tucson, AZ; Washington, DC and Wilmington, DE.

The Citi Foundation is proud to partner with the following community organizations in 2018:

• Buffalo, NY: Say Yes to Buffalo matches youth with paid internships at local businesses and nonprofits and offers career readiness workshops. Twitter: @SayYesBuffalo
• Chicago, IL: REACH (Rush Education and Career Hub) is Rush University Medical Center's education and career readiness program, aimed at increasing diversity in the health care sector and preparing Chicago's underserved students, from pre-K through college, for success in STEM-related fields. Twitter: @RushMedical
• Dallas, TX: CitySquare's Transition Resource Action Center provides youth aging out of foster care with the job training and skills needed to keep them from slipping into poverty and homelessness as they transition from state supervision into adulthood. Twitter: @CitySq
• Florence, KY: Easter Seals serving Greater Cincinnati helps young people attain their high school diploma while providing case management, credentialed training, practical experience and placement opportunities in the construction trade. Twitter: @EastersealsGC
• Jacksonville, FL: Clara White Mission delivers job training to youth residing in low- income, high-crime communities and works to place them in jobs that are addressing local environmental challenges. Twitter: @ClaraWhiteJax
• Los Angeles, CA: Goodwill SOLAC provides youth in southern LA County with hands on occupational skills training, employment placement, retention and advancement support in the health care, loss prevention and security professions. Twitter: @thinkgoodwill
• Miami, FL: StartUP FIU delivers hands-on experiential learning that teaches youth how to effectively pursue entrepreneurial careers. Twitter: @startupfiu
• Newark, NJ: Jersey Cares provides youth with company-facilitated workforce development training and paid internship experience leading sustainable projects at local nonprofits. Twitter: @JerseyCares
• New York City, NY: Grand Street Settlement helps youth to enter into the food service or community development workforce through a comprehensive skills training program. Twitter: @GrandStSttlment
• San Francisco, CA: The Unity Council places ethnically diverse youth across the Bay Area in paid work-based learning and employment opportunities. Twitter: @TheUnityCouncil
• Sioux Falls, SD: Southeast Technical Institute, through a partnership with the Sioux Falls School District's Career & Technical Education Academy, equips youth with skills training in line with local industry needs and assists them with securing paid internships and apprenticeships. Twitter: @SoutheastTechSD
• Tampa, FL: Hillsborough Education Foundation delivers skill-building workshops to local high school and vocational college students and connects them to employment opportunities in high-demand industries. Twitter: @Hillsedufnd
• Tucson, AZ: Chicanos Por La Causa matches local youth with employment opportunities and mentors who offer support and guidance as they transition out of school and into the workplace. Twitter: @CPLCdotORG
• Washington, DC: The Literacy Lab creates paid opportunities for AmeriCorps members and Leading Men Fellows to serve as literacy tutors in traditional and public charter schools in Washington, DC, helping to diversify the teacher pipeline. Twitter: @TheLiteracyLab
• Wilmington, DE: West End Neighborhood House provides youth with soft skills training and matches them with paid work opportunities that align with their aptitudes and interests in various industries including agriculture, culinary arts, customer service and information technology. Twitter: @WestEndNH

  Visit the Youth Workforce Fund website to learn more.

Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.

Contacts
Elizabeth Kelly, 212.559.2477 elizabeth.kelly@citi.com