Mayor O’Malley and Colgate POWER 
to Kick Off YouthWorks 2003 
YouthWorks 2003 gives Baltimore another “Reason to Believe”
 

Baltimore, MD – Mayor Martin O’Malley and local youth will kick off YouthWorks 2003 and announce the fifth annual partnership between Colgate-Palmolive, Stop Shop & Save and YouthWorks 2003 to provide summer employment for Baltimore’s youth at a ceremony on Wednesday, June 25, 2003 at 10:30 a.m. at the War Memorial (101 N. Gay Street). The event will mark the start of this year’s YouthWorks program and Colgate’s Preparing Our World through Education and Responsibility (POWER) youth employment initiative.

“The support we’ve received from Colgate and others will allow Baltimore to assist over 5,500 youth in securing jobs this summer,” said Mayor O’Malley. “YouthWorks and its partners give Baltimore citizens another reason to believe in the progress of our city.”

For the past ten years, as part of its POWER initiative, the Colgate-Palmolive Company has contributed more than $1 million to youth employment programs. In addition to Baltimore, this year’s participants include New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta, Memphis, Houston, Detroit, East Orange and Philadelphia. In 2003, Colgate-Palmolive will award each participating city $10,000 in funds and $10,000 in Colgate-Palmolive cleaning and personal care products.

“Colgate-Palmolive is pleased to provide urban youth the opportunity to experience on-the-job training,” says Phyllis Woolley, director of African American marketing at Colgate-Palmolive. “This training will help them acquire the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace.”

“Reason to Believe,” an enterprise of Baltimore’s business, civic and faith leaders, elected officials, philanthropists, service providers, and law enforcement officials, has invested $1 million in this year’s YouthWorks program. “We are extremely grateful that Colgate has partnered with YouthWorks to help Baltimore’s youth reach their full potential,” said Robin Wood of Reason to Believe. “It is partnerships like this that will keep the City of Baltimore moving forward.”

At the program kickoff, youth will gather at 9:00 a.m. to hear from local motivational speaker David Ross (“Native Son”). “His presentation will inspire the young people to value their work experiences and the life experiences they will gain from working,” says Alice Cole, director of career development services for the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development. “The goal is to help foster pride and commitment.”

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading global consumer products company focused on oral care, personal care, household care, fabric care and pet nutrition. In the U.S., Colgate sells its products under such nationally recognized brands as Colgate, Palmolive, Mennen, Ajax, Irish Spring, Softsoap, Murphy Oil Soap, Ultra Brite and Fab, as well as Hill’s Science Diet and Hill’s Prescription Diet pet foods.

For more information about YouthWorks, the Colgate POWER Initiative, and/or how to support YouthWorks as a contributor or employer, please call 410-396-6722.