FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 19, 2012

FOR ASSIGNMENT: Wednesday, April 25, 2012; 9-11 a.m.

Contacts: Brice Freeman, Communications, 410-396-1910, bfreeman@oedworks.com Ernest Dorsey, Youth Services, 410-396-6722, edorsey@oedworks.com

Youth Opportunity (YO!) Baltimore to Celebrate 2012 Alumni at April 25 Breakfast Event Baltimore, Maryland (April 19, 2012) – Youth Opportunity (YO!) Baltimore will celebrate the achievements of 17 young people who completed the program this year at an Alumni on the Move breakfast. WHO: YO! Baltimore serves out-of-school Baltimore City youth ages 16 to 22, many of whom face challenges such as unstable housing and homelessness, unemployment, limited support systems, early parenthood, poverty, and limited educational achievements. (See attached program for selected stories of the 2012 YO! Baltimore alumni.) Through the encouragement of caring advocates, the guidance and commitment of dedicated literacy instructors and access to vital support services, these young people are now moving forward to become fully independent and productive young adults. WHEN: Wed., April 25, 2012, 9-11 a.m. WHERE: YO! Westside Center, 1510 W. Lafayette Avenue (Gilmor Street entrance), Baltimore, MD 21217 BACKGROUND: For the past 11 years, YO! Baltimore has been serving out-of-school youth and young adults by providing educational, personal development, and career preparation resources. At two youth-friendly centers, caring adults provide a wide range of support services and opportunities for participants to reach their academic and career goals. YO! Baltimore members build important life skills and participate in activities that prepare them for the workforce. Operated by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, YO! Baltimore has a proven track record of helping young people increase their wage earnings and educational attainment while reducing recidivism, and has received national recognition as a model youth development program. For more information about YO! Baltimore, visit www.yobaltimore.org or call 410-396-6722. ### In fiscal year 2011, the Mayor's Office of Employment Development hosted more than 139,000 visits from city residents at our one-stop career centers, facilitated nearly 19,000 computer literacy training sessions at our Digital Learning Labs, and placed close to 2,700 individuals in jobs. We connected more than 5,000 youth to summer employment and assisted more than 500 businesses through our Employ Baltimore strategy. This year we are continuing our commitment to match Baltimore citizens with good jobs and satisfying careers, and to link area businesses to qualified employees.