FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 17, 2009

CONTACT: Scott Peterson 443-740-5412 Baltimore City Reaches 2009

YouthWorks Goal Mayor Dixon announces that more than 7,000 teens will be offered summer jobs Baltimore, MD (June 17, 2009) –

Mayor Sheila Dixon announced that the 2009 YouthWorks summer jobs campaign exceeded its goal of providing summer jobs to 6,500 Baltimore City young people. This year, more than 7,000 youth and young adults, ages 14-24, will be offered summer job opportunities in private sector and nonprofit locations throughout the city. Mayor Dixon spoke to young people and supporters of the initiative at a press conference hosted by the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture. The Mayor thanked her YouthWorks campaign chairs, Johns Hopkins Health System President Ronald Peterson and Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development’s (BUILD) Bishop Douglas Miles, as well as Councilwoman Rochelle “Rikki” Spector, and the hundreds of contributors who donated funds and hired teens resulting in the second consecutive summer to involve more than 6,500 participants. “Even though our nation’s economy is not as strong as it was last year, I refused to let that be an excuse for not providing summer work experiences for our young people,” said Mayor Dixon. “Thanks to the generous support shown by our city’s businesses, communities, and individual citizens, we are able to offer a summer job opportunity to every youth who registered with YouthWorks.” For the first time in nearly a decade, the federal government is providing funding specifically for summer jobs. Coordinated with the Baltimore Economic Recovery Team (BERT) and administered by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, more than $3.5 million in funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will expand the program to allow 22-24 year olds to be YouthWorks participants and receive career transition services after the summer. Additionally, Baltimore City was awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Labor to support YouthWorks. Sponsored by Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Elijah Cummings and John Sarbanes, the nearly $1.2 million federal earmark will allow for the creation of Mayor Dixon’s Green Jobs Youth Corps – a partnership with the Department of Recreation and Parks to provide six-week YouthWorks projects in “green” work areas such as horticulture, wildlife management and urban forestry. YouthWorks continued to receive strong support from Baltimore’s business community. Several companies joined the Mayor today, including Colgate-Palmolive, who sponsored today’s kickoff as part of its 2009 Colgate P.O.W.E.R. (Preparing Our World through Education and Responsibility) initiative. "Colgate is committed to encouraging and uplifting America’s youth and our P.O.W.E.R. program has had a lasting and positive effect on young adults nationwide," said Meg Bai, Multicultural Marketing, Colgate-Palmolive. "We’re pleased to join Giant Food and the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development in offering training, education and work experience to young adults in Baltimore City. Our goal is to provide them with the skills, work ethic and opportunities necessary to help ensure future success." Kaiser Permanente is supporting YouthWorks for the second consecutive year. "We are encouraged by the increasing number of youth that want to explore careers and learn basic job skills. In this economic downturn, it's imperative that our youth get experience and have a basic foundation of work principles and practices,” said Maritha Gay, senior director of External Affairs at Kaiser Permanente. “Kaiser Permanente applauds the YouthWorks summer jobs campaign and commends Baltimore City's efforts for taking the lead in developing its youth through a supportive and mentoring environment." Mayor Dixon also acknowledged the support from community organizations, city and state agencies, individual citizens and the philanthropic community – specifically, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and the Baltimore City Foundation. “The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has been a proud supporter of YouthWorks since 1997” said Barry Schloss, trustee for the Weinberg Foundation. “We value this investment in putting Baltimore’s younger residents to work and recognize the significant benefits this program achieves for the entire city.” About YouthWorks: YouthWorks is operated by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development. YouthWorks participants are well-prepared, multi-skilled, and dependable high school and college students who are eager to work during the six-week program that begins on June 22, 2009, and ends on July 31, 2009. For more information about YouthWorks, call 410-396-6722 or visit www.oedworks.com.