Brooklyn Borough President

BOROUGH PRESIDENT HONORS BROOKLYN TEENS WHO
PARTICIPATED IN INNOVATIVE SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM

Photographs by Kathryn Kirk
In photo: Borough President Markowitz and Brooklyn H.E.A.T. supporters and participants show their support for youth employment at the program’s commencement ceremony.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joined Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation Founder and President Danny Simmons, Maimonides Medical Center Director of Volunteer Services Alla Zats to honor over 100 Brooklyn teens who took part in Brooklyn Summer HEAT (Help Employ Ambitious Teens), an innovative program created to encourage both private and non-profit organizations to hire Brooklyn young people, ages 16-18, this summer. This summer 184 Brooklyn teens worked for nearly 50 employers throughout the borough.

“This program gives Brooklyn teens a chance to shine in the workplace,” said Borough President Markowitz. “These students got the lessons of a lifetime showing up for their jobs every morning – learning about discipline, setting and achieving goals, and possibly setting a path for their future. I want to thank the Brooklyn employers who participated and my partners, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation for making Summer HEAT possible. Your generosity is making dreams come true.”

Stephanie Jean-Philppe, a student who worked at Independence Community Bank, also spoke about her experiences in the Summer HEAT Program. This year’s Summer HEAT initiative kicked off on Tuesday, July 6 and ran until Friday, August 20. The Borough President’s office collaborated with youth service providers that pre-screened and prepared the teens for their summer jobs. Over the six-week period, employers paid the young people at least the minimum wage, $5.15 an hour, for up to 30 hours a week.

Among the many businesses and organizations participating in the program include the Central Brooklyn Medical Group, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Maimonides Medical Center, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Marcus Garvey Nursing Home, Independence Community Bank, the Better Brooklyn Community Center, Global Computer Solutions, ACS New York Job Partners, and the Leadership Program.

Summer HEAT was supported by contributions from the Verizon Foundation, Keyspan Energy, the Blue Ridge Foundation, the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the National Urban Business Alliance, Empire State Associated Builders and Contractors, and the New York City Department of Education.

The program is being offered through a partnership between Brooklyn Borough Hall, the Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.