FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 12, 2008

CONTACT: Ian Brennan (410) 530-0459

Mayor Dixon Launches YouthWorks 2009 Summer Jobs Campaign

Baltimore, MD (December 12, 2008) – Mayor Sheila Dixon was joined by her two YouthWorks 2009 campaign co-chairs – Ronald R. Peterson, president of The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System and Bishop Douglas I. Miles, clergy co-chairman of BUILD (Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development) – to officially launch Baltimore City’s summer jobs campaign. They encouraged Baltimore’s business and community leaders to assist in meeting the goal of placing 6,500 teens in summer jobs – the same goal that was achieved in 2008. “Despite our current economic situation, I am working to ensure the City’s commitment to YouthWorks is unchanged,” said Mayor Dixon. “I am prepared to make sure that Baltimore City’s financial commitment to YouthWorks remains at last year’s level of $2.4 million.” The YouthWorks theme, Summer Jobs are Everyone’s Business, captures the Mayor’s outreach strategy to engage supporters from business, community-based organizations, faith-based institutions, philanthropic organizations, education, individual citizens and city and state agencies. Co-chairs Miles and Peterson plan to reach out to their constituents to rally around this important cause and aggressively support the campaign. "In this time of extreme economic difficulty it is imperative that every business, faith institution, foundation and community group participate as sponsors and/or work sites to ensure that our youth are held harmless,” said Miles. “I am particularly challenging all of the faith community to join with BUILD to be a full partner in this effort to provide employment for every young person willing to work." Peterson added, “It is a great honor to serve as co-chair of Mayor Dixon’s YouthWorks 2009 campaign. I cannot think of a better way to personally contribute to the stimulus of the local economy than by helping to provide meaningful summer job opportunities to 6,500 deserving youth.”

Baltimore City’s Department of Social Services Director Molly McGrath announced the first official contribution to YouthWorks by stating that DSS and the Maryland Department of Human Resources have committed $1 million to the program to continue their support of summer jobs for Baltimore City youth. Two YouthWorks participants – Tavon Betts, a 10th grader at the Academy for College and Career Exploration and Keith Stancil, a senior at the Baltimore City Career Academy – shared how their experiences working in the summer jobs program have helped to prepare them for the world of work. Tax-deductible donations can be made to YouthWorks by making checks payable to: Baltimore City Foundation/YouthWorks c/o Mayor’s Office of Employment Development 101 W. 24th Street Baltimore, MD 21210 The six-week YouthWorks summer jobs program begins on June 22, 2009 and will end on July 31, 2009. Summer jobs registration will occur from January 12, 2009 to March 13, 2009. For more information, call 410-396-JOBS (5627) or visit www.oedworks.com. # # # Please visit our website at www.baltimorecity.gov