Commonpoint Queens receives $30K donation
for its summer youth internship program
TIMESLEDGER | 20 QNS.COM | JUNE 5-11, 2020
meaningful internship.
Its internship program is a competitive
career readiness training program
that culminates in a paid summer internship
for young people ages 16 to 21.
In addition to the internship experience,
all Commonpoint Queens internship
program participants receive 20 to
30 hours of pre-employment training,
equipping them with crucial workplace
skills. The orientation teaches essential
job skills such as resume and professional
email writing and etiquette,
mock interviews, and how to dress and
conduct yourself in an office.
The organization also partners with
its worksites to identify and vet potential
interns. Companies can invest in
the long-term success of young people
in two ways. First, by partnering with
Commonpoint Queens to employ interns.
Second, to subsidize an intern or
interns at a nonprofit organization. The
cost to subsidize one intern is $2,500.
For more information or to see how
you can help contribute to a meaningful
employment experience for the
youth, contact Danielle Glick, Assistant
Vice President of High School and
College Success, at DGlick@common-
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Following the April suspension of
New York City’s popular Summer Youth
Employment Program (SYEP) due to
the COVID-19 pandemic, Commonpoint
Queens is offering internships to local
youth after receiving a $30,000 donation
from a local development company.
Forest Hills-based Cord Meyer Development,
whose portfolio of properties
includes the Bay Terrace Shopping
Center and Bay Lane Estates in Bayside,
and retail and office tenants throughout
Queens, allocated the funding to Commonpoint
Queens to underwrite summer
internships for local youth.
“These young men and women are
our future and deserve every advantage,
particularly during this difficult period,”
said Anthony Colletti, chief operating
officer of Cord Meyer Development.
“We share a long history of community
support with Commonpoint Queens and
are honored to provide funding for their
critically important work-readiness
programs.”
Upon learning that the NYC Department
of Youth and Community Development
had canceled the internship
program this summer, Commonpoint
Queens turned to Cord Meyer Development
for help to continue the program,
according to Danielle Ellman, CEO of
Commonpoint Queens.
“Over the years we have partnered
with Cord Meyer on various projects
and they immediately agreed to help
fund the program,” Ellman said. “Their
generous donation will provide 12 internships,
enabling us to continue offering
today’s youth pathways out of poverty
and into long-term success.”
With the cancellation of the New
York City SYEP program, Commonpoint
Queens will not receive reimbursement
for its administrative costs.
“It is only through the generosity
of companies like Cord Meyer that we
are able to keep our commitment to our
young people,” Ellman said. “We made
the decision to absorb the administrative
costs of the internship program
knowing that low-income youth are
the least likely group to have the connections
needed to chart their careers.
Summer internships become the network
that can open doors and provide
opportunities.”
Jeremy E., a Human Resources
intern at New York Legal Assistance
Group (NYLAG), thanked Cord Meyer
for its generous support giving valuable
experiences to young people who are
able to land an internship at law, financial,
and other prestigious firms.
“This internship will truly be inspiring
me to lend a helping hand to my
own community as you did,” Jeremy
said. “Your donation has opened me to a
professional network, built an amazing
resume, transformed my communication
skills, and most importantly, developed
my passion for the business workforce.
People like you are giving diverse
young people from all backgrounds the
opportunity to challenge the status quo
and achieve success for the future.”
Shania Cox, who is a part of a low-income
household and is also interning at
Sapphire Digital, is honored to be working
at the company.
“This would be a bit of a relief not
only for myself but for my mom as well.
Additionally, I am grateful to have something
to do over the summer that aligns
with my interests which is something
that I was worried about since this pandemic
started and things got canceled
and closed,” Cox said.
Rofeeah Ayeni, an intern at Sapphire
Digital, said it gives her hope that
she can work to accomplish her future
goals.
“Being able to have exposure to the
working environment gives me the
chance to explore my options in the field
of technology,” Ayeni said.
Commonpoint Queens’ internship
programs offer local youth the opportunity
to work with companies to place
eligible applicants in a high-quality,
Rofeeah Ayeni is one of the Cord Meyer interns who is working at Sapphire Digital, a
technology company. Photo courtesy of Commonpoint Queens
Shania Cox
/QNS.COM
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