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.
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.
