Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is calling on the community to fill the gap in hiring more young people for the city’s MPLOY and ambassador programs.
Wednesday, the city held its youth lottery, randomly selecting which students will be eligible for hundreds of summer and year-round jobs.
But the mayor says the city can’t shoulder the cost by itself.
“We need every business, every non-profit, every religious community to step up and hire young people for this summer. This is a team effort,” said Strickland.
“These are our children and we cannot expect any other children, any other state to help us with our problem,” said Ike Griffith, the Special Assistant to the Mayor and Director of Memphis Office of Youth Services.
The lottery results will be posted online, and student candidates will be contacted as to their next steps.