Connect Detroit Secures $100,000 Grant to Expand Grow Detroit’s Young Talent Program in 2018

Connect Detroit, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that strives to address community problems by facilitating, and mobilizing funding in support of collaborative community solutions, has secured a $100,000 grant from DTE Energy Foundation to expand the Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT) program this year. GDYT is a youth summer jobs program administered by Connect Detroit on behalf of the City of Detroit and various public, private and community stakeholders in Detroit. The grant funds will allow approximately an additional 80 students to participate in the GDYT program this summer.

“The generous support from the DTE Energy Foundation means more young people will be able to take on meaningful summer jobs that create pathways to future opportunities, said Dierk L. Hall, Connect Detroit president and CEO. “They are the next generation of Detroit’s workforce. It’s important we continue expanding this program to connect as many young adults as possible with professional networks and employers that can support their career goals and improve outcomes for Detroit’s youth.”

GDYT was created in 2009 by the Detroit Youth Employment Consortium, a public-private partnership developed by The Skillman Foundation. In 2017, more than 8,000 Detroit youth were provided paid work experiences. As an intermediary organization, Connect Detroit often plays a backbone role. That role may include staffing, providing strategic counsel, or fiduciary roles. It works to expand youth employment opportunities for Detroit youth and is the parent initiative of GDYT.

“The DTE Energy Foundation is committed to helping young people obtain the skills that they need to succeed in the workplace,” said Lynette Dowler, president of the DTE Energy Foundation. “The level of experience and mentoring provided over a summer through the GDYT program can change the trajectory of a student’s life and open their eyes to a world of opportunity.”

The DTE Energy Foundation provides grant support to nonprofits doing work that positively impacts employment and education, basic needs, arts and culture, the environment, economic progress and community transformation.

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