Press Release (10 August 2004)



CATHOLIC CHARITIES PROVIDES SUMMER JOBS FOR STUDENTS


Catholic Charities' Archdiocesan Youth Employment Services (AYES) program, in collaboration with the City and County of Los Angeles, provides approximately 1,250 summer jobs for disadvantaged youth who are placed in non-profit, for-profit, and public employment positions. Youth receive paid internships, counseling, and support services, including clothing, childcare, transportation and vocational training (i.e., tuition, books, union dues).

Due to governmental cuts, AYES overall funding for the program declined 19% this year and is projected to decline by another 12% next year. AYES is actively seeking new collaborations with businesses and new grants from foundations to prevent a reduction of services. One of the new projects is a teller training cooperative with Bank of America, Union Bank of California and City National Bank.

Graduates of the program include Fernando Fernandez, in 1985 AYES intern and a teacher's aide; in 2003 Professor of Mathematics at East Los Angeles College. He was recognized by the AYES as an "Exemplary Alumnus" for 2004. During the awards ceremony he said: "If Archdiocesan Youth Employment had not given me the opportunity and tools to succeed, my life would have been more difficult. I had the encouragement of my family, school and AYES. They believed in me."

Established in 1919, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc. has been one of the largest social service agencies in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, serving millions of people during eighty-five years of its existence. In more than 50 offices and community centers, the agency provided about 1,160,000 services to over 220,000 different individuals during the past fiscal year (July 1, 2003-June 30, 2004). People in need come to Catholic Charities for emergency food and shelter, low-cost before-and-after-school childcare, immigration and refugee assistance, psychological services, computer and jobs skills training, and other supportive services. All services are available to all residents of the three counties, regardless of their race, ethnicity, income, gender or religious belief.


For more information, please contact John Rak or Robert Gutierrez, program directors of Archdiocesan Youth Employment Services, at (213) 736-5456. E-mail: John@aye-la.org or Robert@aye-la.org.