JFY Internal Careers

JFY's Annual Fundraiser, Party at the District! - June 20, 2009 at District, 170 W Ontario, Chicago.

JFY's Annual Recognition Luncheon - December 11th, 2008

JFY Month - September 2008.

GED Graduation - June 24th, 2008 at Chicago Cultural Center.

Jazz For Youth - Our annual fundraiser held May 3rd, 2008 at Park West.

JFY's Annual Recognition Luncheon - December 6th, 2007 at Chicago Cultural Center.

Jobs For Youth OPEN HOUSE - At our new space at 17 N. State Street, 6th Floor on October 18th.

Senator Durbin Visits JFY!

Breakfast Leadership Forum - View past speakers from our monthly series.

CURRENT EVENTS

Think Cirque de Soleil meets JFY! Guests at Party at the District will be greeted by fire breathers and as they make their way into one of Chicago’s newest and hottest clubs, District, they will see both aerial and ground contortionists, a magician and tarot card reader. Tunes by DJ Miss Erika Jean will be spinning. Open bar, hor d’ouerves and a live and silent auction round out the night.

WHEN: Saturday, June 20th
TIME: 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.
WHERE: District, 170 W. Ontario
TICKETS: Individual $95
Reserved Table for 4: $1500
Purchase your tickets on-line - click here.

Interested in sponsoring Party at the District?
Click here to download our Sponsorship Packet or
contact Kristin at 312-499-4778 x136 or kristin@jfychicago.org.

PREVIOUS EVENTS

Jobs For Youth hosted its Annual Recognition Luncheon on Thursday, December 11th at the Chicago Cultural Center to honor its graduates and the employers who hire them.

- (from left, back) JFY Board Member Tom Gimbel, JFY Junior Board Member Victor Thorne, JFY Board Member Brent Rosenbower, JFY Junior Board Member Kevin O'Reilly, JFY Board Vice President Eric Joss
(from left, front) JFY Junior Board Member Iyad Mourtada, JFY Board Member David Duerkop, JFY Board Member Ron Whitley, JFY Board President Darlene Chaleff, JFY Junior Board Member PJ McGuire, JFY Junior Board Member Joi Thomas & JFY Board Member Angela Ingram.

Over 350 people attended and heard moving testimonials from past JFY graduates and listened to an energy-filled keynote speech by Dr. Farrah Gray, Celebrity Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Bestselling Author and Syndicated Columnist.

Emceeing the Luncheon was Chicago Defender Columnist Art Sims and Closing Speaker was Chicago Defender President Michael House.

JFY honored TJ Maxx as the Corporate Partner of the Year for their commitment to hiring our young people.

Motorola and Michelle Johnson were also honored for their involvement with helping further the JFY mission. Motorola has been generous in organizing clothing drives, purchasing tables at JFY's various events and encourgaing their employees to volunteer at JFY.

- JFY Board President Darlene Chaleff &
Luncheon Keynote Speaker Farrah Gray

- JFY Program Director Trina Whatley & Motorola's Michelle Johnson

A special acknowledgement was made to recognize Kay Leane from TTC Marketing for her commitment to helping make JFY a stronger organization.

A few excerpts from JFY graduates who spoke at the Luncheon:

"When my son was only 6 months old DCFS took temporary custody of my son and at that time my father also signed me over to be under DCFS custody. So once again I had to make major adjustments such as going through various shelters and various group home living arrangements. In January of 2008 I began attending GED classes under the instruction of Chris Lynch who made the classroom setting worth coming to school every day and taught me so many valuable things to assist me in passing the GED test. Not only did I have the guidance of a wonderful teacher but I also felt the warmth of the other staff and also endured the guidance of a wonderful mentor Nina Hardy. I was able to come to her about anything and got help with everything I needed. I think this is what I needed all along people who actually cared no matter what the circumstance. Statistics say that an individual like me would never make it but I am standing here today as living proof that any and everyone can rise above the odds. I don’t think I would have ever made it without the great assistance of Jobs For Youth."

Ayele Amos-Mandela, 2008 JFY Graduate & currently a student at Robert Morris College

"I was forced to go into foster care when I was 13 years old. I was mistreated by my foster mother, who played the mother role only for the monthly checks. Life felt like a mistake for me. At the age of 19, I got involved with Jobs For Youth to show my daughter how to be independent and be her role model. The JFY staff members are positive role models for the students and won't allow them to give up until they succeed. They strive for the best. I never felt like I was a part of a team until I joined Jobs For Youth. Every staff member makes you feel welcome and makes you feel good about yourself. Thank you Jobs For Youth."

Dorothy Miller, 2007 JFY Graduate & currently working at Chicago Policemen's Annuity & Benefit Fund

"The skills that I learned from Jobs For Youth are invaluable. The most important things, I learned from Jobs for Youth was my resume building and interviewing skills. No where have I had anyone help me practice my interview skills and was able to provide direct feedback about the positives and negatives. It is greatly beneficial to get resume and interviewing tips from actual representatives from a company possibly looking to hire."

Larry Cowherd, 2007 JFY Graduate & working at C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc.

Click here to view pictures. Pictures by Deja Views.
(http://www.dejaviewsusa.com)

Jobs For Youth Month
September 2008

Mayor Daley & Governor Blagojevich declared September as Jobs For Youth Month. In an effort to raise awareness about the programs and services of JFY, JFY hosted a variety of free and open to the public activities throughout the month.

One of the events was a Music Industry Seminar geared towards youth who wanted to go into the music business. Seminar was sponsored by S&S Records.

(from left) Power 92’s DJ Special K, Helton “Brazil” Siqueira, Steve “Silk” Hurley, Shannon “DJ Skip” Syas, Chicago- native performer Ben One, General Manager & VP of Radio Promotion for Jordan Entertainment Group/Zomba Damon “D” Stewart, Entertainment Attorney for The Law Offices of Jones + Barksdale, P.C. Daryl D. Jones and JFY Executive Director Robert Barnett

JFY also hosted a breakfast at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to thank its donors, volunteers, employers and community partners. United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick J. Fitzgerald keynoted the Breakfast, and Executive Assistant to the Mayor Sean Harden opened the Breakfast. Breakfast sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

(from left) JFY Board President Darlene Chaleff, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Patrick J. Fitzgerald and JFY Executive Director Robert Barnett

The JFY Junior Board held "Drink for Breakfast", a fundraiser for JFY's
Breakfast Club. The Breakfast Club provides a healthy breakfast to all JFY
clients everyday. Often times JFY clients have to make difficult decisions -
transportation money or eating. Not wanting our clients to have to make
those decisions, JFY's Junior Board created the Breakfast Club over five
years ago.

(from left) John Lauer, JFY President Darlene Chaleff, JFY Junior Board
Co-Chair Mike Kolody & JFY Board Member Tom Gimbel

"Drink for Breakfast" was held on September 18th at A Mano. The
fundraiser attracted over 100 young professionals and raised over $6,000
for the Breakfast Club. The event was sponsored by A Mano, Wells Fargo,
The Mix 101.9 FM, Howard Ecker & Company and The William J. Beck &
Irene Beck Foundation.

Junior Board Members (from left) Vic Thorne, PJ McGuire & Kevin O'Reilly

Click here for pictures of the event. Pictures were taken by JFY graduate
Nika Pruitt.

On June 24th, JFY hosted a formal graduation ceremony for its FY08 GED graduates. At the time of the ceremony, there were 28 graduates from this fiscal year. Taking place at the Chicago Cultural Center, fifteen graduates walked. Graduate Ayele Amos-Mandela gave a moving spoken word presentation, followed-up by Brenda Matthews. Brenda gave a workshop to JFY's GED students about the spoken word. JFY Board Member and CEO of The LaSalle Network Tom Gimbel gave the keynote address.

Ayele Amos-Mandela

On May 3, Jobs For Youth hosted its annual fundraiser Jazz For Youth at the Park West. Attended by more than 350 people, guests enjoyed live entertainment from the only singer authorized to sing Frank Sinatra's songs by Sinatra himself Jimmy Damon and the Bill Porter Orchestra. Also performing was the all female jazz group The KCR Ensemble.

Special guests at the event were Actress Kim Coles, V-103 Radio Personality Doug Banks, Chicago Defender's "Chat Daddy" Art Sims and N'Digo Society Columnist Ingrid Bridges. Honorary Chairs for the event were Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court Dorothy Brown and Vice President, Communications for Clear Channel Radio Chicago Angela Ingram.

Jimmy Damon

(from left) Jazz For Youth Honorary Chair Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court Dorothy Brown, JFY Executive Director Robert Barnett, JFY Board President Darlene Chaleff & Special Guest Actress Kim Coles.

Guests enjoyed live entertainment, charitable gaming, live and silent auction, a lavish buffet supper and open bar.

There were four types of gaming at Jazz For Youth -
Roulette, Blackjack, Texas Hold 'Em & Craps.

(from left) Special Guest Doug Banks & JFY Executive Director Robert Barnett

Pictures from the event can be viewed at: http://www.dejaviewsusa.com.

Senator Durbin Visits JFY

Illinois Senator Richard Durbin visited JFY to tour the organization
and learn more about us. The Senator visited the classrooms and spoke to
every client about their dreams and aspirations. The tour ended with a media conference in the JFY lobby where the Senator spoke to reporters about various topics, including encouraging people to get involved in organizations like Jobs For Youth.