(FLINT, Mich. – June 5, 2018) – The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce today announced the receipt of $113,000 from several organizations and individual donors in support of afterschool programming, teen employment and economic development efforts in Genesee County.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of these grantors and donors,” says James Avery, the Chamber’s director of Education & Training. “Their generosity helps our organization make a positive impact through providing area youth and teens with high-quality afterschool programming, pre-employment training and real-world job experiences.”
The grantors and donors include:
- A.G. Bishop, $30,000 (Economic Development)
- Anonymous, $30,000 (TeenQuest/Summer Youth Initiative)
- Hagerman Foundation, $25,000 (Summer Youth Initiative)
- Community Foundation of Greater Flint, $10,000 (Summer Youth Initiative)
- Community Foundation of Greater Flint, $5,000 (TeenQuest)
- Jennings Memorial Foundation, $5,000 (YouthQuest)
- Merkley Youth Charitable Trust, $5,000 (Summer Youth Initiative)
- Stephanie Pasternak and CYMER, $2,000 (YouthQuest)
- Burroughs Memorial Trust, $1,000 (TeenQuest/Summer Youth Initiative)
The funding from these organizations will benefit three of the Chamber’s youth- and teen-related programs, which are administered by the Genesee Area Focus Fund and made possible with primary financial support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. They include:
- YouthQuest, a comprehensive afterschool program that provides educational, enrichment and physical fitness opportunities for more than 2,000 students in grades K-12 each year
- TeenQuest, a pre-employment and leadership training program for high school students, ages 14-19, in Genesee County
- Summer Youth Initiative (SYI), which connects TeenQuest graduates with summer job opportunities in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors
On the economic development side, the funding will benefit business retention and attraction activities led by the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, according to Tyler Rossmaessler, director of Economic Development.
“We’re committed to growing the economy of Flint and Genesee County,” Rossmaessler says. “Our grantors help us do this by supporting our efforts to connect businesses with the resources they need to be successful.”
To learn more about the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, visit www.flintandgenesee.org.
About Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce
The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce (www.flintandgenesee.org) is a premier business membership organization unlike most chambers of commerce. In addition to traditional member services, our responsibility includes serving as the lead economic development agency for Flint & Genesee, marketing tourism, youth and business training, and a Shared Services Center.
About YouthQuest
YouthQuest is a high-quality, research-based afterschool program offering educational and enrichment activities that engage young minds. Available at 16 sites in the city of Flint and Genesee County, YouthQuest serves nearly 2,000 students in grades K-12 each year. The program is administered by the Genesee Area Focus Fund, a supporting organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, with primary support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and 21st Century Community Learning Centers. For more information, visit www.yquest.org.
About the Summer Youth Initiative and TeenQuest
The Summer Youth Initiative is a program that helps Flint-area teens find paid summer jobs. It’s open to students who’ve completed the TeenQuest afterschool program, which provides pre-employment and leadership training to students ages 14 to 19 to help them succeed in college and the 21st century workplace. Both programs are administered by the Genesee Area Focus Fund, a supporting organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, with primary support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. To apply or learn more, visit www.flintandgenesee.org/teenquest.