Employing Detroit’s Youth

The Marjorie S. Fisher Fund of the Community Foundation has awarded a challenge grant of up to $200,000 to Connect Detroit to support its “Grow Detroit’s Young Talent” program.  This program provides a variety of summer employment opportunities for young people who live in Detroit.

“Grow Detroit’s Young Talent already has impacted the lives of thousands of Detroiters and this generous offer from the Marjorie Fisher Foundation will help it reach more,” says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “This matching grant is a great way to encourage individual donors to support this important program.”

For every $900 Connect Detroit raises for Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, the Community Foundation will match with $900 from the Marjorie S. Fisher Fund. The combined $1,800 will fully fund a work experience opportunity for one young Detroiter for the entire summer. Gifts must be made to Connect Detroit by May 30, 2018 to be eligible for matching funds.

If matching funds reach $200,000, more than 220 youth will be able to enroll in the summer program.

“The Grow Detroit’s Young Talent program will place 8,000 Detroit youth in summer jobs this year, but there are thousands more who wish to participate,” says Dierk L. Hall, President & CEO of Connect Detroit. “This grant is really a challenge to the community to help us offer summer opportunities to as many young people as possible.”

Research shows that early work experience has big benefits for youth including higher graduation rates and higher annual earnings later in life. In one recent study by the Youth Policy Lab at the University of Michigan, young people who participated in the Grow Detroit’s Young Talent program outperformed their peers on a variety of academic and life outcomes.