Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has announced that her office is awarding approximately $300,000 in grant funding to 74 organizations throughout the state to fund summer jobs for youth, which are aimed at promoting health and wellness.
Four of the organizations benefiting from this funding include the New American Association of Massachusetts and The Food Project Inc. in Lynn, Camp Fire North Shore in Salem, and the YMCA of Metro North in Peabody.
The New American Association of Massachusetts, The Food Project and Camp Fire North Shore will receive $4,000, and YMCA of Metro North will be awarded $2,500.
The grant program is funded with health care and fair-labor-related settlement money through Healey’s office. The program has provided more than $1.5 million in funding through 359 grants to 177 organizations in 82 cities and towns across the state since its inception.
This is the seventh year that Healey’s office is implementing this Healthy Summer Youth Jobs Grant Program, which allows teens to have a direct impact in their communities by working in jobs that promote good nutrition, physical fitness and healthy living.
“Our summer jobs program provides hundreds of teens across the state with an opportunity to challenge themselves, gain new skills and make a difference in their own communities by promoting healthy living,” Healey said.
As the state continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, grantees will continue to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), incorporate social distancing and transition to virtual workplaces where appropriate.
“We have worked hard to continue this program each year and are grateful to our grantees for making important adjustments to their programs to ensure employed teens are safe as we recover from the pandemic,” Healey said.
This summer, Healey’s Community Engagement Division will provide webinars and in-person training on workers’ rights to youth employed through the grant program at nonprofits, municipalities and other government offices in the state.
Some of the jobs funded through this program include building and maintaining a community garden or urban farm, addressing food security and wellness needs of low-income communities, providing educational content on the environment and local natural resources and instructing youth on recreational and wellness activities.
Since launching the grant program in 2015, Healey has funded more than 1,000 jobs for young people across the state.
Any further questions about the Healthy Summer Youth Jobs Program can be directed to Healey’s office by emailing [email protected].
