Detroit community activists step in to help those impacted by Job Corps closure
Hundreds of young people in the Detroit Job Corps received a message on Thursday, May 29, that the program would be closed on June 30.
On Friday, they were then told they actually only had until 2 p.m. to pack up and get out, leaving many stunned and concerned for what's next.
"They were in tears, they were crushed," said Terrance Willis, chairman at 12th Street Community Development Corporation.
"This is heartbreaking, this is inhumane," said Detroit community activist, Pastor Mo.
The federal government announced an immediate operational pause of the Job Corps program late last week, shocking hundreds of young adults.
"They thought they were on a positive track, and then all of a sudden, they don't know what the next day is going to hold, so yeah, it's devastating," said Willis.
Job Corps helps at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 improve their lives through vocational and academic training while also providing free education, housing, meals, and healthcare. Without this program, many would not have a career path or shelter.
Pastor Mo spoke about one young man and his struggling homeless mother.
"Put her son in Job Corps to get him out of her car, but when it shut down, it put the son back in the car, and his roommate, that didn't have anybody, she's taking him in, and we're trying to find her housing right now," he said.
The story is one of many in the Detroit area. But the federal government says it made these cuts after an internal review of the program's outcomes.
"A startling number of serious incident reports and our in-depth fiscal analysis reveal the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve," said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Pastor Mo says while he understands the program may need some improvements, he rejects the government's message and sudden closure of the Job Corps.
"They're judging the corps by some statistics and some numbers. Sometimes, numbers don't tell the whole story," he said.
He says that he, along with multiple others in Detroit, has been paying out of pocket to help some of those affected live in hotels while they find more permanent housing and careers.
