The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ – a
coalition of more than 50 U.S. companies including FedEx, HMSHost,
Starbucks, Yum! Brands, Walmart and more – has picked Atlanta for
its next Opportunity Hiring Fair on May 3 to connect thousands of
youth to jobs
Job and resource fair will kick off a long-term
effort with the City, State and more than 75 other regional
stakeholders to help create economic opportunities for the
estimated 110,000 Opportunity Youth – young people ages 16-24 who
are not in school or employed
The national initiative has already helped more
than 175,000 youth find jobs in communities such as Chicago, Los
Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas and Washington DC, and has a goal
to hire one million Opportunity Youth by 2021
An estimated 4.9 million young Americans ages 16-24 are not in
school or employed. In Atlanta, this translates to an estimated
110,000, or nearly 13.6 percent of, young adults1. In response, a
coalition of more than 50 leading U.S. companies and foundations,
known as the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™, today announced
plans to address this challenge, beginning with a day-long job and
resource fair on May 3 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Working with more than 75 community leaders and regional
stakeholders including The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, The
Center for Working Families, City of Atlanta, Georgia Department of
Economic Development, Metro Atlanta eXchange for Workforce
Solutions, Rockefeller Foundation, Schultz Family Foundation,
United Way and others, the coalition is expected to help connect
thousands of Atlanta-area youth to employment pathways with
companies like including FedEx, Five Guys, HMS Host, Starbucks,
Walmart, Yum! Brands and more. The job and resource fair itself
will include hundreds of on-the-spot interviews and employment
offers, and access to career resources, resume development,
practice interviews, assistance creating online candidate profiles,
as well as mentoring and coaching support.
“I am pleased that Atlanta has been selected to host the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative™, which connects thousands of young people
to jobs with some of our nation’s leading employers,” said
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “As we work to expand
our economy, we must ensure that all our young people can realize
their potential, especially those who face systemic barriers to
access to employment and education. This initiative will strengthen
our efforts to make sure that as Atlanta prospers, no one is left
behind.”
“We are thrilled to join Mayor Bottoms and leaders from across
the region as we launch in Atlanta and work to expand the
coalition’s national efforts to bring economic opportunity to at
least one million young Americans by 2021,” said Marie Davis,
executive director of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™.
“This unprecedented job fair is going to be an opportunity to hire
and engage local youth. We welcome all Atlanta area employers and
community stakeholders, who recognize the value of hiring these
amazing young Americans, to join us as get ready to kick off this
May.”
Since launching in 2015, the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™
has helped hire more than 175,000 youth, making it the nation’s
leading employer-led movement to bring economic opportunities to
young people ages 16-24 who face systemic barriers to employment
and education. Nationally, youth unemployment still tops 12
percent, disproportionately impacting young people from low- to
medium-income communities. Building on learnings from the
coalition’s ongoing recruiting and hiring efforts across the
country, the Atlanta Opportunity Fair on May 3 will kick-start a
100,000 Opportunities long-term city-wide effort supported by the
Schultz Family Foundation. In partnership, with many of the
region’s leading businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational
institutions, as well as Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Governor
Nathan Deal’s administrations and other civic leaders, aims to
employ thousands of local youth.
“Atlanta is proud to be selected as a part of the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative,” said Hala Moddelmog, president and
CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “Building an ecosystem that
generates and supports a rich talent pipeline is one of our top
priorities. Our business community is eager to get involved and
demonstrate how we’re producing a robust workforce through
corporate engagement and community outreach.”
“We celebrate the contributions of young people to Georgia’s
workforce, which is why collaborative efforts like the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative are so important,” said Ben Hames,
Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic
Development. “This impressive event will impact the lives of
Georgia’s youth and making a lasting mark on our workforce and
economy for years to come.”
“The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is very excited to
partner with the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative,” said Frank
Fernandez, Vice President of Community Development, The Arthur M.
Blank Family Foundation. “We believe in the fundamental
importance of and value in investing in our youth, especially those
isolated from opportunity and struggling to break the cycle of
poverty. This initiative aligns with our commitment to the Westside
and at Mercedes-Benz stadium to help connect opportunity youth to
job opportunities that otherwise may not be available to them.”
“The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative is a phenomenal initiative
for our business community to commit to providing a supportive
network that assists youth with achieving employment in metro
Atlanta,” said Wendell Dallas, Vice President of Operations for
Atlanta Gas Light and Chairman of Metro Atlanta eXchange for
Workforce Solutions (MAX). “The collaboration between MAX and
100,00 Opportunities Initiative exemplifies the framework MAX has
created to strengthen connections among stakeholders to develop and
invest in our local workforce.”
Through partnerships with public and private sector stakeholders
in Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas, and Washington,
DC, the coalition has expanded its work, by doubling in size to
more than 50 companies and foundations, and establishing a new goal
to hire one million opportunity youth by 2021, after it surpassed
its original goal of 100,000 hires two years ahead of schedule.
“FedEx is proud to once again be working with the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative to help pave the pathway to meaningful
employment for youth across the country,” said Shannon Brown,
Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources and Diversity
Officer at FedEx Express. “Atlanta is a key market for FedEx
and we look forward to connecting with motivated job-seekers as we
continue to build our workforce in the region.”
“Through the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, Starbucks has
found a unique way to unlock the talent and potential of these
young people for retail and customer service roles in thousands of
our stores across the country,” said John Kelly, senior vice
president, Global Public Affairs and Social Impact, Starbucks.
“The next Opportunity Fair in Atlanta is going to be a powerful
moment for our nation’s top employers to come together with local
leaders and demonstrate that we stand ready to hire young Americans
who are looking for a chance to dream big and reach their
aspirations.”
“HMSHost is thrilled to further our involvement with the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative, and particularly here in the Atlanta
community to help launch the careers of the next generation,” said
Susan Seubert, Vice President, Human Resources, HMSHost.
“We’re eager to get out and meet Atlanta youth and offer them
opportunities with HMSHost – a company where our associates have
the chance to create pathways to their own success and thrive.”
“We are pleased to launch the 100,000 Opportunity Initiative in
the City of Atlanta. This is our seventh community partnership
focused on recruiting, hiring and retaining young talent” said
Sheri Schultz, co-founder and president of the Schultz
Family Foundation. “There is nothing more powerful than
helping a young person land a job. In addition to the job
opportunities at the launch event, we are investing in ongoing
efforts in the community to continue to help youth become job ready
and get hired. At the Schultz Family Foundation, we believe that a
job creates economic mobility and endless possibilities.”
“Our involvement in the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative has
been great!” said Jerry Murrell, founder and CEO of Five
Guys. “We offered over 100 jobs at the Washington, DC fair last
year and with around 20 locations in Atlanta and surrounding areas,
we are excited to meet the Atlanta youth and invite them to join
the Five Guys family.”
"The national youth hiring efforts of the 100,000 Opportunities
Initiative and the organization’s commitment to making jobs more
accessible to our country’s youth is aligned with one of Yum!
Brands core values – believing in all people,” said James Fripp,
Yum! Brands Sr. Director of Global Diversity and Inclusion.
“Yum! Brands is honored to be part of an initiative that will help
elevate youth in the community to become proud, successful and
professional business leaders of tomorrow.”
In Atlanta, the coalition will work alongside the region’s
community and civic leaders to build on existing Opportunity Youth
training and hiring efforts and ensure the initiative is sustained
in the long run. After the Opportunity Fair, the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative will continue to partner with the Atlanta
community to offer training, hiring and support programs, funded by
the Schultz Family Foundation and other potential partners. This
will help ensure that young people are prepared to enter the
workforce and that employers continue to strengthen their
commitment to hiring Opportunity Youth. They will also host an
ongoing series of smaller events to support thousands of young
adults looking for work.
About the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™
The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ has created the nation’s
largest employer-led private sector coalition committed to creating
pathways to employment for young people. Companies engaged in the
coalition help launch careers for young people who are just
entering the workforce, including full- and part-time work, as well
as internships, apprenticeships and on-the-job training. Each
company is also committed to developing potential in youth who have
some work experience but are looking to gain new skills that lead
to successful careers. Please visit www.100kOpportunities.org.
1 Measures of America
http://www.measureofamerica.org/disconnected-youth/
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180131006005/en/
For the 100,000 Opportunities
InitiativeSarah.Elison@edelman.com
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