Year Up
Image: yearup.org
A graduate of Kenyon College, where she completed her degree in religion and philosophy, Ellen Griggs has since become a board director of Market Street Trust Company, E. Ritter and Company and Evanston Capital. Aside from her professional work, Ellen Griggs finds time to volunteer as a mentor at Year Up.
Founded in 2000, Year Up is a nonprofit organization that helps empower young adults from low-income backgrounds to overcome poverty within a year as they transition to professional careers. Having started in Boston, Year Up eventually spread to other places, including Silicon Valley and Jacksonville. Since 2000, it has served over 10,000 students.
Year Up believes that the problem that young people need to overcome is the opportunity divide, a theory which contends that although there are enough job opportunities available, millions of young adults who have enough talent and motivation do not have enough opportunities to join the workforce.
To bridge this divide, Year Up identifies eligible young adults in urban areas and companies in need of new talent. These young adults receive six months of skills training, followed by a six-month internship at the partner company. Upon graduation, the student will be able to launch a meaningful career while contributing to the economy.
Ellen Griggs Blog 