Gilmore Museum Aims to Reach Out to Disadvantaged Youths

Disadvantaged teenagers could have the opportunity this summer to work with antique cars, and get paid for their efforts. The PRI is working with the Gilmore Car Museum near Richland to coordinate an educational program that would support low-income teenagers.

Using the Summer Youth Employment program, it has an opportunity to be both a educational experience and a well-paying job. Tim Morris, Gilmore's Director of Education, has experience leading programs at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. He already has developed an in depth curriculum that meets state level standards. Additionally, the program is intended to excite and prepare these youths to enter car maintenance programs, such as the highly respected one at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

The only barrier is finding the right source of youth employment to foster the program. With the Gilmore being just over county bounders, they can not access the large stimulus money for teens being poured into the Summer Youth Employment program. However, if they can access the program through Barry County, they have a great opportunity to employ youths and give them an opportunity to succeed in the future.

Summer Offers More Jobs for Disadvantaged Youths in Kalamazoo

For disadvantaged youths who would otherwise have little to do this summer, hope is arrived in the form of a $800 thousand stimulus supplement for employment this summer. Hundreds of youths ages 14-24 who are low-income now have the opportunity to have a meaningful and educational experience this summer employed in a non-profit in Kalamazoo.

The stimulus money provides the recruitment, administrative, and training costs associated with hiring. Non-profits who need staff will be asked to take on these workers free of charge - as long as they can find them meaningful work to do. This comes in additional to an estimated $300 thousand dollars which will be raised by city officials - coming to a total of over a million dollars in youth employment funds.

So the great task begins of finding opportunities that will not only keep youths, busy but also show them the value of steady employment and engage them in an opportunity to learn. Sure, you can put a bunch of workers in a park to pick up trash, but the experience may do little to actually change their outlook on life. We need experiences that will be transformational for these youths so that they use them to be more successful in the future.



If you administer a non-profit who is looking to have an educational opportunity or employment opening this summer, consider staffing your agency with the summer youth program. Contact Cincy Sullivan 269-383-2536 x 117 or csullivan@kresa.org