Wilmington’s Youth Career Development Program receives a grant from Bank of America.
The $100,000 grant will help employ up to 275 young people in numerous professions and internships.
The program helps younger city residents develop work skills, while also preparing them for a career and future.
This summer, participants are earning more money than usual, making $12 an hour. This is the first time in the program young people will be making more than the minimum wage.
Bank of America is also providing with financial literacy sessions run by their employees according to Bank of America market executive Debbie O’Brien.
"Some of these young people it may be the first time that they are receiving a paycheck, and through our Better Money Habits program we want to ensure that they know what to do with those funds,” said O’Brien. “So this program really ensures that they have the financial education that they need in order to save and budget and think about what would be next as they again move through their working career."
The sessions cover topics like budgeting, building credit, borrowing, investing and more in person and virtually.
Everyone in the Youth Career Development Program is getting that financial education this summer.
"It's really important to be connected to those initiatives that are important to the city of Wilmington and other cities across the country, and so this is an example of where a public-private partnership can really make an impact," said O’Brien.
Bank of America says grant recipients like Wilmington were selected based on their commitment to addressing basic needs and workforce development for individuals and families.
