AG HEALEY ANNOUNCES GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR SUMMER YOUTH JOBS

AG HEALEY ANNOUNCES GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOR SUMMER YOUTH JOBS
$300,000 in Grants Recovered from Health Care Settlements Will Fund 200 Summer Jobs that Promote Physical Activity and Wellness

BOSTON – Aimed at providing underserved youth with opportunities for both employment and health and wellness, Attorney General Maura Healey today announced funding for an estimated 200 summer youth jobs across Massachusetts cities and towns, public school districts, and non-profit organizations.

“Giving kids the opportunity to work in their communities helps keep them off the streets in the summer months and offers them the chance to challenge themselves in new and different ways,” said AG Healey. “By focusing these grants on jobs in health and wellness, we can also help tackle the issue of obesity levels among children. These grants will enable municipalities, schools districts and nonprofits in Massachusetts to address a variety of challenges facing our youth.”

The Summer Youth Jobs Grant Program is funded with $300,000 recovered by the AG’s Office from consent judgments against pharmaceutical companies Johnson & Johnson and GlaxoSmithKline. Beyond increasing youth employment, funding will also promote physical fitness and wellness activities for Massachusetts youth.

Between 2000 and 2014, the teen employment rate has dropped to 30 percent from 45 percent. Additionally, research shows that the average American child watches about 35 hours of television a week, an increase of more than two hours per week since 2009 and a 12 percent increase over the last nine years.

Examples of youth jobs that could receive funding include, but are not limited to:

·         Working as a coach, team leader, or mentor for a pre-existing sports-related activity for youth of documented low socio-economic status;

·         Assisting with a sports or physical fitness program;

·         Working as a teacher or teacher’s assistant for an exercise or physical fitness class for youth or senior citizens; and/or

·         Participating in community gardening efforts to grow fresh produce for food banks.

Grant awards are available to fund youth employment from July 6 to August 28. Interested applicants can visit the Attorney General’s website, www.mass.gov/ago/grants, for additional information and for application instructions. The deadline to apply for the Summer Youth Jobs Grant Program is 4 p.m. on May 28.