Mayor Rybak Sends 1,350 Youth off to Work this Summer through STEP-UP Program

Youth and the 178 businesses that employ them thanked for their commitment to building future prosperity

June 14, 2010 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Mayor R.T. Rybak sent youth who will be employed in businesses, non-profits and government offices around Minneapolis this summer off on their first day on the job at an event today in the Rotunda of City Hall. The event marked the first day of work for the 1,350 Minneapolis youth, ages 14-21, at jobs developed and recruited through the City of Minneapolis STEP-UP youth-employment program. The Mayor also thanked the 178 employers who have committed to hire and train the youth for the summer.

"We’ve promised Minneapolis youth that if you commit to your education and plan for your future, we will support you — that’s the Minneapolis Promise, and we’re delivering on that promise today," said Mayor R.T. Rybak. "By heading off to make the most of this opportunity, these youth — who come from an enormous range of cultures and backgrounds —are not only taking responsibility for their own future success, they’re committing to building the economic health of our entire city.

"During these tough economic times, we’ve been able to not only to maintain but to grow STEP-UP because of the rock-solid commitment of a great set of employers," Mayor Rybak continued. "The 178 businesses, non-profits and government offices of every size that are doing their part to train STEP-UP youth this summer have the thanks of the entire city for their engagement in building future prosperity for everyone."

STEP-UP began in 2004 by placing 202 Minneapolis youth, and in 2009 placed 1,282 youth, with 1,350 placed this year. Through 2009, 82% of STEP-UP participants were youth of color.

STEP-UP is one of three youth employment and training programs that the City of Minneapolis currently runs. These programs combined are placing a total 2,350 Minneapolis youth in jobs this summer. From 2002 through 2010, the City of Minneapolis will have placed approximately 14,000 youth ages 14-21 in summer jobs, including through STEP-UP.

STEP-UP is one of the central components of the Minneapolis Promise, an innovative cluster of coordinated efforts designed to eliminate barriers to college for Minneapolis students. The Minneapolis Promise provides young people that commit to completing their education and plan for their future with 1) counseling at the AchieveMpls Career and College Centers that are in all seven Minneapolis public high schools , 2) high-quality summer jobs through STEP-UP, and 3) and financial assistance for college.

Following is the list of 2010 employers that have committed to training tomorrows workforce by hiring youth today. Those employers in bold have committed to employ 10 or more youth this summer.

AchieveMpls, Advanced Web, Affordable Energy Solutions, Inc., Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America, Allina Hospitals & Clinics, American Chemical, Inc., American Heart Association, American Red Cross - Twin Cities Chapter, Asian Media Access, Augsburg College, Augustana Care Corporation, Azul 7, Battered Women's Legal Advocacy Project, Best Buy, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities, Birchwood Care Home, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, Briggs & Morgan, P.A., Camp TEKO, Cargill, Catholic Eldercare, Center for Energy & Environment, Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization, Central Beauty School, Central Minnesota Legal Services, Children's Dental Services, Children's Hospitals & Clinics, City of Lake Community Land Trust, City of Minneapolis, Civil Action Group, COMPAS ArtsWork, Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota, Cookie Cart, D & E Management, Diversity in Practice, Dunwoody College, East Side Neighborhood Services, Ebenezer, Ecumen, El Amin’s Fish House, EnergyScapes, Faegre & Benson LLP, Fairview Health Services, Foley & Mansfield, General Mills, Girl Scouts of Minnesota & Wisconsin River Valleys, Goodwill Easter Seals, Great Neighborhoods! Development Corp., Greater Twin Cities United Way, Greene Espel, P.L.L.P., HealthPartners, Hennepin County, Hennepin County Library, Hennepin County Medical Center, High School Upward Bound, Hilton Garden Inn, Hines, Hmong American Mutual Assistance Association, Hollywood Studio of Dance, Hubbard Broadcasting, Hy's Pawn & Jewelry, iDream.tv, Illusion Theater, Indigenous Peoples Task Force, Insight News Group, Intermedia Arts – PCTV, International Union of Operating Engineers, Local #49, J Cameron & Associates, Jefferson Lines, Juxtaposition, Kaleidoscope Place, KBEM-FM Jazz 88, KFAI, Fresh Air, Inc., KMOJ, Labor/Management Healthcare Coalition of the Upper Midwest, Larson King, Legal Rights Center, Inc., Lurie Besikof Lapidus & Co., Macy's, Magers & Quinn Booksellers, McKinsey & Co., Inc., Meet Minneapolis, Memorial Blood Centers, Metropolitan Council, Midtown Greenway Coalition, MIGIZI, Minneapolis Foundation, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis Park & Recreation, Minneapolis Police Department, Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce, Minneapolis Television Network, Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing, Minnesota Children's Museum, Minnesota Police Activities League, Minnesota Supreme Court, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx, Minnesota Transitions Charter School, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club, Minnesota Workforce Center, Multilingual Word, Natural Built Home, Navarre Corporation, Nemer Fieger, Nilan, Johnson Lewis, Northside Child Development Center, Olu's Home, Inc., Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly, LLP, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc., Park Avenue Youth & Family Services, PCL Technologies, Pillsbury United Communities, Piper Jaffray, Planned Parenthood, Plymouth Christian Youth Center, Prairie Lodge, PRG, Inc., Printing Industry of Minnesota, Inc., Project for Pride in Living, RBC Wealth Management, Redeemer Health & Rehab Center, Restorative Justice Community Action, Inc., Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, LLP, RSP Architects, Ltd., Sabathani Community Center, Inc., Saint Mary's University- TC Campus, Seward Co-op, Shiloh Temple International Ministries, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, St. Thomas University, Summer of Solutions, Target, TCF Bank, The Aliveness Project, The Bakken Museum, The IT Guy, The Loft Literary Center, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, TPG Credit Management, Transition Plus, Tree Trust, Tunheim Partners, Turning Point, Inc., Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, Twin Cities Public Television, Under Construction, U.S. Bancorp, U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison, U.S. District Court, UCare, Universal Hospital Services, U of M, U of M Upward Bound, U of M Physicians, UPS, Upward Bound Vision Quest, VA Medical Center, Vocational Outreach Service ISD 287, Walker Art Center, Walker Methodist Health Center, Wells Fargo, West Broadway Business & Area Coalition, Wilderness Inquiry, William Mitchell College of Law, WomenVenture, Xcel Energy, YMCA - North Community, Youth Farm & Market, YouthCARE & YWCA of Minneapolis

Published Jun. 14, 2010