2016 Community Impact Awards: Job Creation & Workforce Development
Winner: Bellevue College/Year Up Partnership, Millionair Club Charity
By Karen West October 24, 2016
This article originally appeared in the November 2016 issue of Seattle magazine.
Gold Award:
Bellevue College/Year Up Partnership Puget Sound
Locations: Bellevue / Seattle | Employees: 600 / 45 | Top Execs: Jill Wakefield, interim president, Bellevue College; Amy R. Mack, executive director, Year Up Puget Sound | bellevuecollege.edu; yearup.org
Since 2011, Bellevue College and Year Up Puget Sound have partnered to close the Opportunity Divide the gap between talented young adults and the opportunities for jobs. The partnership provides college credits to urban students completing Year Ups intensive, one-year IT training program. Our partnership allows us to work to close this gap and to more effectively serve the nontraditional students that benefit most from our services, says Lisa Chin, founding executive director of Year Up Puget Sound and chair of Bellevue Colleges board of trustees. The college community benefits from the deep perspective and worldview that nontraditional students bring to the table. Year Up, a national nonprofit organization, established its Puget Sound affiliate in 2011. After students complete their Year Up training, Bellevue College provides them with admissions, registration, financial aid and college planning services. About 625 students have taken part and many have been with local businesses. Chin, who was succeeded at Year Up last year by a new executive director, Amy R. Mack, notes that, with the U.S. Department of Labor identifying the 18-24 age group as a priority, the partnership couldnt come at a more opportune time.
Silver Award:
Millionair Club Charity
Location: Seattle | Employees: 22 | Top Exec: James Miller, executive director | millionairclub.org
Since 1921, the Millionair Club Charity has operated the Temporary Staffing Solutions employment program in Seattles Belltown neighborhood. Geared toward people who are homeless or facing other barriers related to poverty, the services include nutritious meals, showers, laundry, work clothes, safety equipment, free prescription eyeglasses and transitional housing. In addition, the Millionair Club pays for some job training, safety training and occupational licensing.