Year Up
Ξ November 20th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Philanthropy |
I missed a couple promised blog postings about charities because we’ve been furious at work spreading the word about our new campaign, but I’m back to talk about another great cause.
History has been made between my last post and today - an African American man has been elected president. This is a major turning point for the black community, whose mothers and fathers can now tell their children with confidence for the first time that they too can rise to the top office in the land if they work hard enough. Obama’s victory came on the heels of a slew of images of shameless wall street investors defending their insanely generous paychecks as they were dragging American workers into the mud. In this context, Obama’s victory seems just as relevant to the middle and lower classes. It’s not only Obama’s race that is significant. The fact that he grew up in a middle income family with an immigrant father and was raised with the help of his grandparents says just as much. It signals that even in an era in which the gap between rich and poor is as great as ever, the belief that America can be a meritocracy still has a leg to stand on. The opportunity divide has long been an invisible issue in this country because of a persistent belief that success in America was solely determined by work ethic, when one glance at the economic backgrounds of our nation’s leaders demonstrates anything but that. If you don’t agree with the last statement, I highly recommend reading the eye-opening book “Nickel and Dimed” by Barbara Ehrenreich.
Year Up is an unbelievable organization that was created because of this opportunity divide. As their website states, “To help address these challenges, Year Up was founded in October 2000 by Gerald Chertavian as a one-year intensive education and apprenticeship program for urban young adults aged 18-24. Year Up’s program recognizes that both job skills (technical and professional) and higher education are necessary to provide a viable path to economic self-sufficiency. Our mission is to prepare these young adults for successful careers and higher education.”
Recognizing that success depends on more than just technical training, Year Up places an emphasis not just on technical training, internship and apprenticeships, but also emphasizes support and guidance. They understand that a head filled with knowledge is useless without developing confidence, strong work ethic and a desire to achieve. These are the character traits that are the engine of success. One on one learning, inspiring advisors and personal connection are what really set Year Up apart.
What the American dream really means has been hotly debated for years and, while to some it will always only be an ideal, it’s reassuring and touching to know that groups like Year Up are doing all they can to help it become a reality. We are very proud to offer Year Up as a donation option to our customers.
