Mayor Rahm Emanuel kicked off the 2016 One Summer Chicago program by visiting youth working on a viaduct transformation project. The youth jobs program—which marks the City’s largest jobs program to date—will provide more than 30,000 youth ages 14-24 this summer with job and internship opportunities. The City is committed to growing One Summer Chicago year over year, due to the strong demand by thousands of youth each year to become engaged and employed. This year, the City received a record number of applications with more than 82,000 received this year. One Summer Chicago opportunities are available in many industry areas, ranging from urban agriculture and outdoor forestry projects to bike repair and office and clerical work.

Mayor Emanuel joined youth at a viaduct in the Auburn Gresham–one of several to be revitalized in partnership with the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS), the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT). Last year marked the first year of the infrastructure subset of One Summer Chicago, which provides youth the opportunity to work on large-scale infrastructure projects, allowing both youth and residents an opportunity to celebrate the completion of a project that will have an immediate benefit for a neighborhood. Approximately 1,600 youth will be working alongside city agencies to overhaul and improve viaducts across the city this summer, with another 600 youths working to revitalize boulevards and lots, allowing Chicago to both renew itself and to build a better future for youth and families.