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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hundreds of teenagers will have jobs and internships this summer thanks to a new effort.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas announced the initiative between Hire KC, Entrepreneurship KC, and KC Common Good Thursday morning. It will employ 500 at-risk teenagers who live east of Troost Avenue. That’s about 10% of teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 who call Kansas City home.

“Every single victim of violent crime has loved ones—parents, siblings, children, spouses, friends—whose lives are changed forever because of our violence epidemic, and we cannot become numb to our violence problem or shrug our shoulders like this is too big of a problem to solve,” Mayor Lucas said. “Curbing violent crime requires more than just law enforcement-related solutions—and we all have a role to play. We ask the business community to step up to provide summer internship opportunities for students who want and need them. I’m proud to collaborate with KC Common Good in our shared mission to create a safer community for all through hope and opportunity.”

The 2021 summer program begins in early June, and both virtual and in-person opportunities are available. To learn more or get involved, visit www.workingforyouth.org.