Small Business Majority Partners with Clinton Global Initiative to Address Youth Unemployment

DENVER—Small Business Majority announced their commitment to get 200 small employers to sign a pledge vowing to create job opportunities for young people as part of the Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action. The initiative aims to help bridge the gap between youth who are out of school and out of work, and small businesses having a hard time filling entry-level positions.

Over the next year, Small Business Majority will strive to help today's youth get back to work by having small businesses—our No. 1 job creators—commit to taking one or more actions during the next two to three years to create opportunities for our youth, including increasing the number of opportunity youth hires within their companies, expanding full or part-time internship and mentorship programs and more.

"We've been busy hiring young people since we opened our bakery in 2005," said Mary Oreskovich, owner of Hopscotch Bakery in Pueblo, Colorado. "It has been a highly rewarding experience seeing all of my young employees mature and develop the necessary retail and customer service skills they'll need into the future. That's why we've agreed to sign onto Small Business Majority's pledge to create even more job opportunities for young people. We all have a role to play in ensuring that every young American is given the opportunity to compete in the 21st century economy and achieve the American Dream. I'm proud to be a part of an effort that will have ripple effects across my community and the rest of the nation."

This is the second year Small Business Majority has committed to the Clinton Global Initiative campaign to work with small businesses across the nation to create more pathways for youth employment.

"Last year, we committed to finding 100 small employers to sign onto this campaign and are proud to say we far exceeded our goal. We're excited to continue our work to create professional opportunities for our nation's youth while providing small businesses with qualified workers," said John Arensmeyer, CEO of Small Business Majority. "Far too many young Americans are struggling to find jobs after they leave school, which negatively affects economic demand. By solving this problem, we will foster better workforces, which will bolster small employers and our economy as a whole."

To view or sign the pledge, please visit: www.smallbiz4youth.com .

To schedule an interview with a small business owner who signed the pledge or a representative from Small Business Majority, contact Kelsey Bye at [email protected] or (202) 289-0957.