FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2013

CONTACTS: Brice Freeman, MOED, 410-396-1910, bfreeman@oedworks.com

Ernest Dorsey, Youth Services, 410-396-6722, edorsey@oedworks.com

Mayor Rawlings-Blake Acknowledges Hire One Youth Businesses, Looks to Further their Engagement Hire One Youth Leadership Team Chair Don Fry joins Mayor in recognizing the success local employers have added to YouthWorks summer jobs program

Baltimore, Maryland (October 15, 2013) – Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Greater Baltimore Committee President/CEO Donald C. Fry expressed appreciation to the more than 100 businesses that participated in Baltimore’s Hire One Youth initiative as part of the 2013 YouthWorks summer jobs program today at a luncheon at the Rawlings-Fulton Golf Club. Helping to comprise thousands of youth connected to six-week summer jobs, more than 500 Hire One Youth participants were interviewed and hired by companies from a variety of industries, including construction, hospitality and healthcare. "We should all be proud that our public-private partnerships resulted in another successful year for YouthWorks, as we offered summer jobs to more than 5,200 youth and young adults," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. "These meaningful employment opportunities not only benefited them and the places they worked, but the $5,000,000 they earned in wages helped to support our local economy." Fry has served as the Chair of Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s Hire One Youth Leadership Team for the past two years helping to attract a greater and more direct involvement from businesses in providing meaningful jobs that develop work skills and help launch careers. The 117 Hire One Youth companies that participated in 2013 represent a 30 percent increase over last year. “Through Hire One Youth, young people are gaining real-world work experience in high growth business sectors in Baltimore and making genuine contributions to the organizations,” said Fry. “The growing interest among local companies to join Hire One Youth and help to expand it is a testament to the fact that business is interested in playing a direct role in developing the city’s future workforce now.” A total of 518 YouthWorkers were employed directly by the Hire One Youth organizations, which includes those hired by the Johns Hopkins Health System and University through its companion summer jobs program. Mayor Rawlings-Blake and Fry thanked all the businesses for their partnership this summer and acknowledged that 100 Hire One Youth participants continued to work beyond the six-week duration of the summer program, and 45 of them are continuing to work for these organizations today. Briah Myers from the Hyatt Regency represented ten of those young people present at the luncheon by addressing the audience about the importance of this opportunity for her. Hyatt Regency Human Resources Director Nathalie Rytting and Turner Construction Project Engineer Coretta Bennett also spoke about the benefits of being Hire One Youth employers. Mayor’s Office of Employment Development 417 East Fayette Street Suite 468 Baltimore, Maryland 21202 410-396-3009 www.oedworks.com The Mayor’s Office of Employment Development operates YouthWorks with the assistance of employers and workforce partners, and with financial support from a variety of contributors. Among the more significant grants from private organizations that helped to support wages for low-income youth participating in the 2013 YouthWorks program include $25,000 from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, $19,000 from the Northrop Grumman Foundation, and $10,000 each from The Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. The Motorola and Northrop Grumman grants helped to support young people working in STEMrelated (science, technology, engineering, and/or math) summer jobs. For more information about YouthWorks and Hire One Youth, please visit www.oedworks.com/youthserv/summer.htm or call 410-396-JOBS (5627). Organizations interested in becoming a Hire One Youth employer for the summer 2014, can get more information and complete an online form at www.baltimorecity.gov/HireOneYouth. ### In fiscal year 2013, the Mayor's Office of Employment Development hosted more than 119,000 visits from city residents at our one-stop career centers, provided computer literacy and occupational skills training to more than 1600 people, and placed nearly 2,500 individuals in jobs. We offered summer employment to more than 5,200 young people through YouthWorks and assisted more than 425 businesses through our Employ Baltimore strategy. MOED is committed to building a strong workforce for our city by developing meaningful partnerships with the local business community and connecting Baltimore citizens of all ages and backgrounds with jobs and pathways to careers. www.oedworks.com.