In a frankly awesome turn of events, Barack Obama has pledged over $2M to various summer job programs in Chicago.
“One of the things that we’ll be starting this year is Michelle and I are personally going to donate $2 million to our summer jobs programs here in the community. [It’s] so that right away young people can get to work and we can start providing opportunities to all of them.” – Barack Obama.
The Obamas are planning to spend their newfound free time championing affordable education for all – especially for those living in low-income areas. They used their speaking event to announce not only their new donation, but also the plans for a new 200,000 square foot campus on Chicago’s South Side, called the Obama Presidential Center. This center will focus on training “the next generation of leadership, the Michelle Robinsons of today and the Barack Obamas of today.”
“More than a building or museum, the Obama Presidential Center will be a living, working center for engagement — an ongoing project for the community and world to shape what it means to be an active citizen in the 21st century,” the Obamas said.
The center will create thousands of new jobs on the South Side and attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, giving the area a much-needed economical boost.
Summer job programs are essential to getting young students a foot in the door at workplaces across America, especially in under-priveleged areas like Chicago. The right summer job can mean the difference between an opportunity to work for a company that’s going to pay a living wage and offer mobility and stability, or a part-time, dead-end gig at the local McD’s. These programs help shape the future of America. They’re definitely worth investing in.
