The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. funding support for its Youth Employment Program. “We are always happy to gain backing from major corporations to assist us in our efforts in the community as we work toward helping our clients reach self-sufficient,” said Davie S. Huddleston, PCSI board president during a recent press conference and open house. “We are grateful for Coca-Cola joining us in this journey.”
In support of the Youth Employment Program of Pittsburgh’s Health and Nutrition Program, according to PCSI’s deputy director, Pamela J. Wilbon, the $20,000 grant will be used to provide opportunities for 24 student’s ages14 to18 throughout the city to learn the importance of healthy and nutritional choices, which promotes long term health.
“This is a special occasion because it warrants our ability to renew our support to our youth,” said Cecelia A. Jenkins, PCSI executive director. “We are grateful and excited to receive this grant. Because of the nurturing of relationships between our staff and DeAnn Baxter of Coca-Cola we are delighted to be able to initiate the next phase of involvement with our youth. We are pleased to be able to reinstate our youth programming.” She said the money will enable PCSI to not only provide work experience to city youth but affords the opportunity to offer health and wellness initiatives.
The YEPP services young people who are at risk of becoming involved in unlawful activity, or who may already be familiar with the criminal justice system, and are experiencing higher rates of unhealthy lifestyles. Referrals are accepted from public and private schools, group homes, social service agencies, parents and self-referrals. YEPP is unique in that each youth receives case management and mentoring services from PCSI. An individualized program plan identifies areas of concern as acknowledged by referrals and addresses issues related to school, family, health and nutrition, employment, social, physical activity and future career goals.
Partnerships have also been formed with the Penn State Center – 4H Community and Innovation Training for Youth and the Kingsley Association to augment programming through service, inquiry, and experiential learning-based summer employment.
Wilbon said the Coca-Cola Foundation funded the initiative to advance the health and wellness of the participants. Their plan is to teach the importance of health, nutrition and physical activity by providing such programming as the “My Plate – My Pyramid” and a variety of nutrition education tools. “Youth will learn to shop the perimeter of grocery stores for healthy foods and will participate in “The Biggest Winner” competition that supports physical activity, healthy changes in eating, and developing an overall healthy lifestyle. The winner will receive a membership to a YMCA of their choice,” she said. Also incorporated in the program are several field trips, one of which is a trip to the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Twinsburg, Ohio.
Proud to show their support in this region, Baxter, Coca-Cola’s public affairs and communications manager said by partnering with organizations to support initiatives and programs that respond in a meaningful way to community needs and priorities that they strive to be responsive in the communities where their associates live and work. “At the Coca-Cola Company we recognize that we cannot have a healthy and growing business unless the communities that we serve are healthy and sustainable,” she said.
The Coca-Cola Company has a belief that active, healthy lifestyles lead to happier lives and are committed to creating awareness around choice and movement, to help people make informed decisions.
Since its inception, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded more than $660 million to support global sustainable community initiatives, including water stewardship, community recycling, active healthy living, and education.
The 127 year old company is the world’s largest beverage company with the world’s largest beverage distribution system. It has consumers in more than 200 countries and has an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities. Its focus is on initiatives that build sustainable communities, and the company is focused on initiatives that reduce its environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, creates a safe, inclusive work environment for its associates, and enhances the economic development of the communities where it operates.
Together with their bottling partners, Coca-Cola ranks among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates.
In its continuing efforts to help empower their clients by assisting them in the development of job skills and removing personal obstacles, PCSI recently incorporated a job development work readiness program under its Training and Workforce Development department called Work Certified. Designed to develop solid soft skills, Work Certified helps job seekers understand what they must do to be successful in the work place. The program prepares individuals to understand and fulfill their role in business. Labeled as a behavioral modification, team-building program it strengthens job seekers’ self-esteem, which better enables them to find and sustain a job.
The Work Certified Program establishes a benchmark of skills that participants need to succeed in the workforce.
The curriculum concentrates in the areas of: reading comprehension, business math, business technology, pre-employment, customer services, business communications, employment expectations, mastering career success and general business knowledge and is administered in 90 classroom hours plus 15 hours of additional assignments in a simulated work environment.
Established in 1983, Pittsburgh Community Services, Inc. is the designated Community Action Agency for the City of Pittsburgh and serves as the anti-poverty agency for the city. The mission of the organization is to address the causes of poverty and to diminish its effects through the development, implementation, sponsorship, and support of programs and activities designed to enable and empower low-income residents and to make measurable progress on the continuum from impoverishment to self-sufficiency. Its vision is to have a visible impact in reducing the number of impoverished people in the city. PCSI is widely recognized in the community as a collaborative partner who routinely influences public policy decisions and is an advocate for and expert on the issues that affect the lives and wellbeing of impoverished people.
PCSI officials encourage Pittsburgh residents to visit their headquarters located at 249 North Craig Street or to call the main office at 412-904-4700 to find out about the array of programs and services they offer.
