Coalition of Top U.S. Companies to Host Texas’ Largest Opportunity Youth Hiring Fair on May 19

With youth unemployment in Dallas one of the highest in the nation,
the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ will host an unprecedented
day-long jobs and resource fair in Dallas, kicking off a long-term
effort to hire and engage young people facing barriers to education and
employment

More than 1,700 guaranteed job interviews and local opportunities
available with top companies including Starbucks, FedEx, JCPenney, Pizza
Hut, Macy’s, Chipotle, Five Guys, Walmart and more; Hundreds of
on-the-spot job offers expected

Coalition aims to hire 1 million Opportunity Youth across the U.S. by
2020

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With an estimated 109,000 young men and women not in school or the
workforce – nearly 13 percent of youth – the Dallas metro area has one
of the highest rates of youth disengagement in the nation¹.
In response, a national coalition of more than 50 leading U.S. companies
known as the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ will come together on
Friday, May 19, from 9 am to 4 pm at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention
Center to host the Dallas Opportunity Fair – an unprecedented, day-long
hiring event aimed at Opportunity Youth – 16- to 24-year-olds who are
not in school or working. The event will feature recruiters and
resources from top U.S. companies including Starbucks, FedEx, JCPenney,
Pizza Hut, Chipotle, Delaware North, Republic Services, Domino’s,
Sprinkles, Five Guys, Target, Hilton Worldwide, Teavana, HMSHost,
T-Mobile, Ulta Beauty, Macy’s, Villa, Papa John’s, Walgreens and Walmart.

Together, they are offering more than 1,700 guaranteed job interviews
throughout the day for local positions, as well as the opportunity to
connect with more than 30 job-readiness and social services, including
resume writing, interview skills, and college and financial aid
applications – making this the largest and most comprehensive
opportunity youth hiring fair ever hosted in Texas. Based on past events
in Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Seattle, the coalition expects to
extend hundreds of immediate, on-the-spot job offers at the May 19
event. It will also look to sustain investment in Dallas over the next
few years, partnering with local organizations to create ongoing impact.

“FedEx is dedicated to helping young people gain the skills and career
connections necessary to find available jobs on the path to starting
their careers,” said Kim Dixon, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer, FedEx Office. “We’re proud to be a founding
member of the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative coalition of leading
companies and look forward to connecting with young talent in the Dallas
area.”

“JCPenney is proud to be one of the founding members of the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative coalition and we are in awe of the tremendous
progress the cause has achieved in just under two years. We are excited
for the next Opportunity & Job Fair to be hosted in our hometown of
Dallas, home to a dynamic and thriving retail community,” said Marvin
Ellison, chairman and CEO of JCPenney. “A job in retail can be the
start of an exciting career path with a variety of opportunities for
anyone who is passionate about delivering great products and exceptional
customer service. We look forward to continuing our support of the
100,000 Opportunities Initiative by engaging young job seekers to join
the JCPenney stores team.”

Launched in 2015, the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ reached its
original goal of hiring and engaging 100,000 opportunity youth two years
ahead of schedule. But with an estimated 4.9 million young Americans
still left out of the U.S. economy², the coalition has since
expanded its commitment to a new goal of 1 million hires by 2020. Each
of the companies and organizations involved share a commitment to
helping youth connect with employers and develop basic job skills. The
goal is to get these young men and women into the workforce and on to a
long-term pathway to success.

“Connecting America’s underserved youth to a pathway to employment has
the potential to create an enormous ripple effect on our businesses,
communities and the economy. And, we are excited to launch our next
hiring fair in Dallas,” said Kevin Johnson, president and ceo of
Starbucks Coffee Company. “Through a series of initiatives,
including our work with the coalition, Starbucks has hired more than
40,000 Opportunity Youth. This has prompted us to expand our own goal to
100,000 hires by 2020. These young men and women are thriving in the
Starbucks environment, demonstrating that opportunity youth can be an
invaluable pipeline of talent for a company like ours, as we look to
fill 68,000 new jobs in the U.S. in the next five years.”

“Since joining the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative, Pizza Hut has
successfully filled thousands of jobs including several manager-level
positions,” said Artie Starrs, President, Pizza Hut, U.S. “We are
like-minded in the coalition’s mission of empowering youth to reach
their full potential. We look forward to engaging with the smart,
talented and ambitious youth in the city in which we work and live.”

In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and around the country, youth
unemployment still tops 12 percent³, disproportionately
impacting young people from underserved low-income communities. The
coalition will work alongside Dallas’ civic and community leaders
including the City of Dallas, Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, United
Way of Metro Dallas, City Square and other key partners to build on
existing opportunity youth hiring efforts and ensure the initiative is
sustained in the long run.

“Our young people are the future of Dallas, and every one of them
deserves an opportunity to achieve their full potential,” said Mayor
Mike Rawlings. “I’m grateful for the leaders of the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative and several Dallas-based companies and service
providers that have stepped up. The May 19 Opportunity Fair will
help launch a true employer-led, long-term effort to provide career and
education pathways to thousands of opportunity youth in Dallas. I urge
our local businesses to take part in this opportunity to strengthen our
city, our local economy and the workforce of tomorrow by investing in
our youth in the form of meaningful jobs and training opportunities.”

“We believe it’s our collective responsibility to invest in getting
these disconnected youth into the types of jobs that are required for
them to lead rewarding, productive lives,” said Ashley Brundage,
Senior Vice President, Community Impact, United Way of Metropolitan
Dallas. “Their future is our priority. We applaud the leaders of
100,000 Opportunities Initiative for bringing global leaders together to
make a deep, lasting impact in our future. This partnership furthers our
purpose of putting knowledge and opportunity at the footstep of so many
eager minds. We are excited to collaborate on May 19 to empower, engage,
and equip our next generation.”

“We welcome the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative to Dallas. The event
gives corporations with a Dallas presence access to a goldmine of
entry-level trainable talent,” said Laurie Bouillion Larrea,
president at Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas. “The benefits of
youth employment are staggering. Early employment translates to higher
earning in adulthood and better financial inclusion. Dallas-area
companies need this talent and our Dallas youth need paid apprenticeship
opportunities. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Youth Can Register for Guaranteed Job Interviews at the Dallas
Opportunity Fair

Interested candidates are invited to register for free and schedule an
interview ahead of time for the May 19 hiring event at www.100kOpportunities.org/Dallas.
Youth will also have access to more than 30 vital employment,
educational and social services, including one-on-one resume and
interview coaching; opportunities for civic engagement like voter
registration and national service; the chance to build an online
candidate profile; and more. The event will also feature informative and
inspirational performances and activities throughout the day.

Building the Nation’s Largest Employer-Led Initiative for Opportunity
Youth

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ now includes more than 50
companies, including: Accenture, Alaska Airlines, Chipotle, Cintas, CVS
Health, Delaware North, Domino’s, Ernst & Young, FedEx, Five Guys, Food
Services of America, Gene Juarez, Greyston Bakery, Hilton Worldwide, HMS
Host, Hyatt, JCPenney, JPMorgan Chase, Leisure Care, Lyft, Macy’s, Mars,
Microsoft, MOD Pizza, Nordstrom, Panda Express, Papa John’s, Pizza Hut,
Porch, Potbelly, Prudential, Red Robin, Republic Services, Savers,
Sprinkles Cupcakes, Starbucks, Sweetgreen, Taco Bell, Target, Teavana,
T-Mobile, Toms, Ulta Beauty, Villa, Walgreens, Walmart, and Yum!.

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ is led by an Executive Committee
which provides generous support. It includes FedEx, HMS Host, My
Brother’s Keeper Alliance, The Rockefeller Foundation, Schultz Family
Foundation, Starbucks, Yum!, and Walmart Foundation. Premier sponsorship
for the event in Dallas is being provided by FedEx Office, JCPenney and
the JC Penney Foundation, and Starbucks and the Starbucks Foundation.

As it has in Chicago, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Seattle, the 100,000
Opportunities Initiative™ will partner with national and local
organizations to provide continued investment in Dallas to create
pathways to employment for Opportunity Youth in the region, including
ongoing hiring fairs and other efforts to train and employ youth.

About the 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™

The 100,000 Opportunities Initiative™ has the goal of creating the
nation’s largest employer-led private sector coalition committed to
creating pathways to employment for young people. Companies engaged in
the coalition will help to launch careers for young people that are just
entering the workforce, including internships, apprenticeships and on
the job training, in addition to developing potential in youth who have
some work experience but are looking to gain new skills that lead to a
successful career. For more information, please visit www.100kOpportunities.org.

For a complete list of participating companies, community service
organizations, funders and participants, please visit www.100kOpportunities.org.

To learn more about the coalition’s impact at past hiring events, and
what to expect at the Dallas Opportunity Fair on May 19, visit our
YouTube video page at http://bit.ly/2oIozpo.

Media interested in attending the event in Dallas must pre-register for
credentials by contacting media@100kOpportunities.org.

¹ Measure
of America, Promising Gains, Persistent Gaps (March 8, 2017)

² Measure
of America, Promising Gains, Persistent Gaps (March 8, 2017)

³ Measure
of America, Promising Gains, Persistent Gaps (March 8, 2017)

Contacts

100,000 Opportunities Initiative
Media@100kopportunities.org