YouthBuild and Focus: HOPE

General Electric (GE) and GOOD/Corps recently picked YouthBuild and Focus: HOPE to receive up to $10,000 each as part of the What Works Project. The donation will support their efforts to create economic opportunities for young people and adults in Detroit. Both organizations will be featured individually for one week at www.celebratewhatworks.com – YouthBuild between April 16 and April 22 and Focus: HOPE between April 23 and 29. 

During this time, the public is asked to upload images to www.celebratewhatworks.comthat illustrate their response to an innovation, technology, or job creation themed question of the week. This week’s question, for example, is What people, innovations and ideas work to make a difference in education? GE will donate $1 to the featured nonprofit organization for each photo submitted. A second $1 donation will be made each time a participant likes a photo by clicking the heart icon at the top of each image. Thus the more the public participates, the greater the donation. 

Photos may be uploaded using Facebook and Instagram. Twitter users can receive a unique photo submission URL from @generalelectric when they tweet the hashtag #WhatWorks. Each photo submission will be added to a digital tapestry that showcases all that works in America.

At the end of each week, five individuals whose submission most creatively illustrates a response to the weekly question will receive a $500 cash reward for their participation. Guest Judge Tom Szaky, Founder of TerraCycle will help GE and GOOD/Corps pick winners between April 16 and 29. This week’s guest judge is Tina Barseghian, editor of National Public Radio and KQED’s “Mindshaft.”

The What Works Project has to-date awarded more than $85,000 to nonprofit organizations nationwide. For more information on all featured organizations, visit https://www.celebratewhatworks.com/non-profits.

In YouthBuild programs, low-income young people ages 16 to 24 work full-time for 6 to 24 months toward their GEDs or high school diplomas while learning job skills by building affordable housing in their communities. Emphasis is placed on leadership development, community service, and the creation of a positive mini-community of adults and youth committed to each other’s success. Students may earn AmeriCorps education awards through their homebuilding and other community service. At exit, they are placed in college, jobs, or both. For more information, please visit https://youthbuild.org/.

Focus: HOPE is a nationally renowned civil and human rights organization dedicated to providing practical solutions to the problems of hunger, economic disparity, inadequate education, and racial divisiveness in southeast Michigan. Its work focuses on three core programs: the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, established in 1971, career training programs that have helped nearly 12,000 talented men and women established careers that pay sustainable wages, and the HOPE Village Initiative which supports academic achievement of children in Detroit. For more information, please visitwww.focushope.edu.