Baltimore City's YouthWorks Summer Jobs Campaign Prepares to Employ 5,500 Youth 
April 11th press event to be held at City Hall

BALTIMORE – Mayor Sheila Dixon will join more than a hundred young people, business leaders and community organizers on April 11, 2007 at 10:00 in the Curran Room of City Hall to highlight the importance of putting City teens to work this summer. This will mark the fourteenth year that Baltimore City will partner with Colgate Palmolive and Stop Shop Save Food Markets  to officially kick off the city’s annual YouthWorks summer jobs campaign with the exciting  Colgate P.O.W.E.R. (Preparing Our World through Education and Responsibility) youth employment initiative. 

“YouthWorks is a program that works for everyone. Our young people are given opportunities to learn how the work place works, to explore career choices, to develop new skills and to earn money. They stay productive during the summer months which keeps them safe and involved in positive activities. Our communities benefit as well, with many of our teens working with city agencies to help keep our parks, playgrounds and neighborhoods clean and green,” said Mayor Dixon. “We are looking forward to joining with our many outstanding Baltimore companies, local foundations and other supporters to help prepare the next generation of our workforce.”

The 2007 YouthWorks Summer Jobs campaign, administered by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, is hoping to secure enough funds and job pledges to enable 5,500 teens to work this summer. The program, which will run from June 25 through August 3, 2007, will place youth between the ages of 14 to 21 in six-week summer work experiences in a variety of public and private sector settings, including working at city agencies and local non-profit organizations on special community-based projects.

The campaign is off to a good start with a number of committed supporters already on board. Colgate has committed $10,000 to the program, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has contributed $30,000 and Comcast is bringing $80,000 to the campaign. City agencies are also stepping up to the plate. The Department of Housing will hire 260 youth, the Department of Public Works has allotted for 140 work experiences, the Department of Transportation has committed to 130 job opportunities for area teens and Recreation and Parks will employ 350 city youth.

But more jobs and more funds will be needed to reach the goal of putting 5,500 teens to work.

With Baltimore City youth beginning their summer jobs in eight weeks, Mayor Dixon is encouraging every segment of the city----businesses, city agencies, non profits and philanthropic organizations---to join the campaign by making a financial donation to support youths’ wages or by hiring a pre-screened YouthWorks participant.  It costs $1,200 to put a teen to work for six weeks in a public sector or community based worksite. All financial contributions made to the Baltimore City Foundation to support youth’s wages are tax deductible.

Additionally, businesses are asked to hire pre-screened YouthWorks participants to work in their companies for the summer. To ensure the youngsters are “job ready”, all youth who are 16 and older must complete work readiness training before participating in the annual YouthWorks Career Fair. This year the fair will be held on May 3, 2007. Eligible teens will meet with employers and interview for summer jobs. Employers are invited to participate in the job fair by calling 410-396-JOBS (5627).

The P.O.W.E.R partnership supports career development and job opportunities for Baltimore City youth. Since its inception, P.O.W.E.R has become the perfect collaboration between urban cities, Colgate and local retailers donating over 2 million dollars to support youth employment in participating cities. When the consumer purchases Colgate products at retail locations such as P.O.W.E.R.’s Baltimore retail partner, Stop Shop Save Food Markets, they help support grants to benefit youth employment, which instills a work ethic among youth and pride in the community. Working with the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development to target youth, Colgate provides funding and in-kind contributions to the YouthWorks summer jobs program.

Colgate is a leading global consumer products company, tightly focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate sells its products in over 200 countries and territories around the world under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, Elmex, Tom's of Maine, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet pet foods. For more information about Colgate's global business, visit the Company's web site athttp://www.colgate.com.

“Colgate P.O.W.E.R. is just one aspect of the commitment Colgate-Palmolive has made to join you in encouraging and uplifting our young people,” said Tiffany Pratt, Director of Multicultural Marketing at Colgate. “We’re pleased to join YouthWorks and the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development in offering training, education and work experience to young people in the Baltimore community. Our goal is to provide them with the skills, work ethic and opportunities necessary to help ensure future success.”

 “For more than 28 years, Stop Shop Save has been providing job opportunities to hundreds of Baltimore's youth.  Stop Shop Save Food Markets is proud to be a co-sponsor along with Colgate-Palmolive, to help provide job opportunities for Baltimore's youth,” said Anthony B. Baines, Vice President/Chief Operating Officer.

For more details on making financial contributions or hiring pre-screened youth, contact the Youthworks office at MOED at 396-JOBS (5627).