The aroma of freshly brewed coffee greets employees who work for the various businesses located inside Detroit’s Lakeshore Global headquarters in New Center. The approximately 500 square foot corner space is a one-stop shop for busy workers and visitors who want to grab a beverage and a muffin for breakfast or a light snack at lunchtime. It’s quick, easy and has an added bonus; it is giving a much needed job training opportunities for disadvantaged youth.
This small operation is a very big deal for the two young men who currently operate it. Kevin O’Donnell,20, and Drake Edwards, 17, have both experienced a variety of difficulties in their young lives, but with the support of Assured Family Services and Lakeshore Global Corporation, they are now entrepreneurs in training. They have jobs and are excited and optimistic about their futures.
Kevin graduated from Ferndale High School and Drake is working on his G.E.D. It’s a new beginning, and they look forward to having a real job to list on their resumes. “Almost everyone stops in here when they are on their way to their offices in the morning” says Kevin.Drake agrees that it gets busy in the mornings and at lunchtime. “A lot of people who work here don’t want to leave the building for lunch, so they come to us to grab a snack or a bowl of soup”.
Cynthia Smith, CEO of Assured Family Services selects individuals for various jobs based on referrals from Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice and the Wayne County Jail. The young people participate in 10 days of intense training which includes instruction on work relationships, team building, communication, hygiene, and timeliness. There are also sessions about money management, budgeting, and opening a savings account so that they can have their own bank debit cards. “Many of the young people we encounter in our program have missed a lot of school because they have been pulled back by families that want them at home to care for siblings. The job at the café allows each person to contribute ideas and see the outcome of their ideas” says Smith.
Ms. Smith is working closely with LGC Founder and CEO Avinash Rachmale and Exec. V.P. Thomas Hardiman, Sr. to encourage local businesses to help fund and expand this program. “We’re all in this together”, said Hardiman. “These young people are our future and it is our privilege to do all we can to help them move forward in life by removing some of the obstacles that they have encountered.”
Previous trainees who worked at the Turn-Around Café have been placed in higher paying jobs with benefits based on their successful completion of this program. Some of the lucrative jobs include labor positions at Detroit’s water treatment plant. It is a win-win program that is working to help employ young people and give businesses a chance to give back.
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