Project HOPE_Youth EmploymentCity Manager's Office
Michael Van Milligen
City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
Dear Mike,
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Helping Our People Excel
PROJECT HOPE
700 Loc;tut Street, Suite 195
P.O Box 902
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Phone: 563.588.2700
Fax: 563.583.6619
www.dbq foundation. org
This past summer Dubuque experienced some great successes in providing financial
literacy and a matched savings program to encourage youth to establish a savings goal,
introduce the importance of having a savings and/or checking account, teach youth about
their paychecks and have the opportunity to open a savings account.
Starting in July, Iowa Workforce Development offered forty-three employment
opportunities for youth through their summer youth employment program funded through
WIA. Additionally, the Multicultural Family Center and the Future Talk program were
also able to offer employment opportunities to thirteen youth this summer totaling fifty-
six opportunities for at risk, unemployed youth.
Since financial literacy is such an important component to self-sufficiency, the
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque/Project HOPE and DuTrac Community
Credit Union through the Dollar Wi$e Summer Youth Campaign were able to offer
financial literacy to all participants in both summer employment programs.
In addition to the financial literacy provided by DuTrac, the Community Foundation was
willing to match up to a $100.00 for all youth who participated and opened a savings
account. Out of the fifty-six youth participating in the two summer employment
programs, sixteen took advantage of this great opportunity saving a total of over
$4,580.00, the Community Foundation then matched over $1,460.00 as a result of their
savings.
Not only were the youth provided with an employment opportunity, they were also
provided the opportunity to learn more about financial literacy with some seeing the
benefits at the end of the summer. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in
Dollar Wife Campaign and especially the Summer Youth Campaign, are extremely
excited about this years results, and this is something that we are looking to do again next
year.
Sincerely
Alyssa Hauser
Project HOPE Coordinator
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DOLLAR WISE