Junior Achievement Receives $250,000 Grant from CHEFA

Comprehensive Industry Exploration & Career Pathway Programming

Junior Achievement of Southwest New England (JA) receives $250,000 from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) for Expanding & Enhancing JA Career Ready Programs: Comprehensive Industry Exploration & Career Pathway Programming across Connecticut.

Funds will support the expansion and enhancement of JA’s proven Career Ready programs with a focus on comprehensive industry exploration & career pathway programming. JA, with support from business community volunteers, will implement a wide variety of career readiness programs for thousands of students in more than 20 towns and cities in Connecticut, with a strategic focus on Hartford, East Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, and Waterbury. “This generous support will help JA inspire and prepare thousands of middle and high school students for the world of work and the region’s most in-demand jobs,” says Jeremy Race, President & CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest New England.  “CHEFA’s donation will also help fuel a system of change that will ultimately lead to greater opportunities for young people who quite simply just need to be given a chance…a chance to dream and a chance to succeed.”

With funding and support from CHEFA, JA expects participating students will gain experiences that accomplish the following:

• Encourage and inspire young people to explore a wide variety of career opportunities, including local businesses or industries, with development of industry network for students entering the world of work
• Help young people develop critical soft-skills that are required for more immediate job placements and future success
• Develop a stronger and more diverse talent pipeline for industries in need of future workers
• Breakdown and destigmatize stereotypes regarding the employability of urban youth through increased positive interactivity
• Help students see and plan a direct and clear path to sustainable work and economic self-sufficiency

CHEFA’s Grant Program was established in 2002 and has provided more than $42 million dollars since inception to CT nonprofit organizations supporting capital projects/purchases, and programs.  “Supporting positive youth programming focused on education and career success has played an important role in CHEFA’s recent workforce funding. This $250,000 grant to Junior Achievement of Southwest New England will provide a path forward for a significant number of youth throughout Connecticut”, said Jeanette W. Weldon, CHEFA Executive Director.

About Junior Achievement of Southwest New England

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 4.8 million students per year in over 100 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.2 million students served by operations in 100 other countries worldwide.

About CHEFA

The Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) is a quasi-governmental agency created to help Connecticut-based non-profit organizations raise the funds needed to meet their goals of improving the health and education of Connecticut citizens. CHEFA accomplishes this by providing tax-exempt financing and other financial assistance to educational institutions, health care providers, childcare providers, and other eligible non-profit entities. Since its inception in 2002, CHEFA grant programs have provided more than $42 million to Connecticut non-profit organizations. CHEFA grant programs are made possible through the fiscally responsible management of the organization by CHEFA Officer and the CHEFA Board of Directors, and utilize no State of Connecticut funds. https://www.chefa.com/home

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