WASHINGTON—The AHLA Foundation is granting $370,000 to community-based organizations that help change the lives of opportunity youth—individuals between 16-24 who are out of school and looking for work—by preparing them for future hotel careers as part of the Empowering Youth Program (EYP). The initiative continues to bring together hotels and local community-based organizations to train opportunity youth and set them up for success for jobs in hospitality.
Through existing and newly formed partnerships, the AHLA Foundation will engage organizations in Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Orlando, and Washington, D.C., to help train an estimated 500 youth for hotel jobs. These recently awarded grants are part of EYP—an effort focused on engaging, educating, and advancing talent in hospitality.
“This year, we are investing more money than ever before by expanding our Empowering Youth Program to meet the workforce needs of our industry and the communities in which we are working,” said Sarah Cozewith, vice president of workforce development at the AHLA Foundation. “Through our dynamic partnerships with community-based organizations, the Empowering Youth Program plays a major role in equipping job seekers with the skills, tools, and employer support needed to prosper in the hospitality industry.”
By providing participants with professional resources, industry-recognized credentials, and training, opportunity youth benefit from learning the skills required to succeed and advance in the hotel industry. Click here to learn about the AHLA Foundation.