Juma is excited to share that after a rigorous national competition, we have been selected by REDF to join a national initiative to scale up the social enterprise field across the U.S. supported by the federal Social Innovation Fund.

Juma will receive multi-year grant funding and business advisory services to create more jobs for opportunity youth who are disconnected from both school and work. Out of 200 social enterprises, Juma was one of 22 selected.

Juma will create 6-month supported jobs with the vision to provide opportunity youth with their first paid job, financial education and professional skills coaching. Juma is also building employment pipelines into its corporate partners to help youth move on to successful longer term employment, with higher wage and career potential. Juma’s “Career Coaches” will provide support to youth as they transition into their new employment.

By connecting career-constrained youth with decent jobs, we will help them enter adulthood prepared for career success and economic self-sufficiency.

We are grateful for this grant which will allow us to scale our work and help additional youth in Seattle, New Orleans, Santa Clara, and New York, as well as expand our services to new markets. We project a 48% increase in the number of jobs we will be able to provide annually across our existing footprint and beyond.