Philadelphia Business Journal
By Jeff Blumenthal
JPMorgan Chase & Co. will invest $1.5 million over two years to help more unemployed Philadelphia residents find quality jobs.
Chase made the announcement Wednesday morning at a ribbon cutting for its latest branch in Grays Ferry. The money will go to the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, an organization started in 2011 by University City District.
The organization’s mission has been to bridge the gap between West Philadelphia job seekers and the institutions that make it one of the main employment centers in the city and region. But the funding from Chase (NYSE: JPM) will allow the program to scale the model established in West Philadelphia and expand to North and South Philadelphia, in partnership with Temple University and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp.
West Philadelphia Skills Initiative has grown quickly. In 2016, it more than doubled its space when it moved into 5,000 square feet at 3801 Market St. Since its inception, over 1,000 Philadelphians have participated.
