“Jobs for Illinois Graduates” (JILG) received a grant in the amount of $30,000 from the Wal-Mart Foundation today during a 9 am ceremony at Lanphier High School in Springfield.
The grant will benefit over 2,200 JILG students throughout 64 JILG programs in the state of Illinois. The JILG grant is part of $500,000 that the Wal-Mart Foundation awarded to “Jobs for America’s Graduates” (JAG) affiliates in 17 states in support of the efforts to mentor young adults in their formative years and provide a program for their personal development and future success.
A presentation of the grant was made by Susan Farr (Wal-Mart) to Michelle Trueblood, President of JILG, and to JILG students (who also work at Wal-Mart) and their Specialists from Springfield High School, Lanphier High School, and Springfield Southeast High School.
JILG and JAG deliver services with demonstrated long-term results to high school students with possible barriers to their success, enabling students to graduate from high school, continue on to higher education or enter the job market. Through JILG and JAG, students receive career readiness education, school to work transition services, academic remediation, and job seeking and job retention skills.
“This funding will help our Job Specialists cultivate deeper relationships in their local business communities, improve the marketing of our JILG students for employment, and facilitate internships and apprenticeships for our students,” says Michelle Trueblood, President of JILG.
“Now more than ever, we are looking for ways to provide opportunities for those who are out of work and facing tough times,” said Margaret McKenna, President of the Wal-Mart Foundation. “Our grant to Jobs for America’s graduates and their state affiliates will help deserving people across the country get through these tough economic times and help assure that workers have the skills necessary for jobs that are available today.” Wal-Mart’s major focus, through their philanthropic arm, is funding programs like JILG that will help provide America’s young adults with the skills and training they need to be active participants in the American workforce.
