Salisbury, Md. (Monday, Sept. 24. 2018) — Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG), a Delaware-based non-profit focused on addressing Delaware’s unemployment and school dropout rates by enabling students to achieve academic, career, personal and social success, was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. The grant will assist JDG in creating new and updating existing JDG education and skills training programs to serve some of Kent and Sussex counties’ most vulnerable youth. 

Providing valuable services to underprivileged and at-risk students in 23 high schools and nine middle schools throughout Delaware, JDG welcomes charitable contributions to assist the organization in providing the best possible services and outcomes for program participants. Funds from the Perdue Foundation grant will enable JDG to develop new student-focused programs, purchase additional textbooks and other classroom tools, maintain and upgrade classroom technology, and procure student transportation to and from experiential learning opportunities.

“Jobs for Delaware Graduates programs are embedded in schools throughout the state, including schools in close proximity to Perdue facilities,” says JDG President Nicole Poore. “JDG has helped students gain employment with Perdue, so we recognize how valuable Perdue is to the community and to Delaware’s employment landscape. We thank them for their continued commitment.”

“The programs and activities provided by Jobs for Delaware Graduates are really making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth,” said Kim Nechay, executive director of the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. “Their focus on technology and real-world learning opportunities can really help lead these children toward fulfilling careers and better lives. We are honored to help fund their efforts.”

About Jobs for Delaware Graduates
Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG) was designed in 1978 by five working groups in Delaware, drawn from business, education, workforce, labor union, and community leadership. The purpose of the organization was to simultaneously address Delaware’s unemployment and dropout rates by preparing high school seniors with significant barriers to transition from school to work.

Our mission is to enable students to achieve academic, career, personal and social success. More than 60,000 young people have participated in JDG programs throughout the state, and more than 250 employers rely on Jobs for Delaware Graduates for producing enthusiastic, well-prepared, and effective employees.

The JDG model has been replicated in 32 states with over 1000 program affiliates. Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) is a state-based national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing dropouts among young people who are most at-risk. In more than three decades of operation, JAG has delivered consistent, compelling results – helping nearly one million young people stay in school through graduation, pursue post-secondary education, and secure quality jobs leading to career advancement opportunities. Learn more at jobsdegrads.org.

About the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work. At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture®.

About Perdue Farms
We’re a fourth-generation, family owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.  

The PERDUE® brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., and the company is the leader in organic chicken in the U.S., and Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company. As we approach our 100th anniversary in 2020, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey and pork, and in USDA-certified organic chicken. Learn more at www.perduefarms.com.