(FLINT, Mich. – May 20, 2019) – The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce today announced the receipt of $185,334 from multiple organizations and individuals in support of business, teen job preparedness, economic development and afterschool programming in Genesee County.
The grantors and donors include:
- Michigan Economic Development Corporation, $130,000 (Region 6 Procurement Technical Assistance Center, or PTAC)
- Regional Prosperity Initiative, $20,179 (Economic Development)
- Huntington Bank, $10,000 (YouthQuest)
- Close Up Foundation, $8,000 (YouthQuest)
- Andiamo’s, $5,655 (TeenQuest/Summer Youth Initiative)
- Greater Flint Educational Consortium, $2,500 (YouthQuest)
- Martha Merkley Charitable Trust for Youth, $2,500 (TeenQuest/Summer Youth Initiative)
- Stella & Fredrick Loeb Charitable Trust, $2,500 (TeenQuest/Summer Youth Initiative)
- Chemical Bank, $2,000 (YouthQuest)
- CYMER, $1,000 (YouthQuest)
- Stephanie Pasternack, $1,000 (YouthQuest)
“As the Chamber works to develop businesses, talent and a great place to live and work in Genesee County, the support of our funders and partners is critical to our success,” said Tim Herman, CEO at the Flint & Genesee Chamber. “We are thankful for their generosity and shared commitment to the region’s economic and community growth.”
The funding will support the work of the Region 6 PTAC, which provides procurement counseling and technical assistance to local companies interested in doing business with local, state and federal governments. It will also support business attraction and retention activities led by the Flint & Genesee Chamber.
Additionally, the funding 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 students in grades K-12
- 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
To learn more about the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, Region 6 PTAC, YouthQuest, TeenQuest or the Summer Youth Initiative, 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 programs, and leadership development and business training.
About YouthQuest
YouthQuest is a high-quality, research-based afterschool program offering educational and enrichment activities that engage young minds. Available at 15 sites in the city of Flint and Genesee County, YouthQuest serves about 2,000 students in grades K-12 each year. The Genesee Area Focus Fund, a support organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, administers the program, with primary financial 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 have 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. The Genesee Area Focus Fund, a support organization of the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, administers both programs with primary financial support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. To apply or learn more, visit www.flintandgenesee.org/teenquest.