The path between a troubled life that leads to crime – or a productive career that leads to a fulfilled life – involves breaking the cycle… a cycle that often begins with our Juvenile Detention Center becoming a revolving door to the State Prison.
Potoff Private Philanthropy supports the Pima Cycle Breaker program, administered through the Pima County School Superintendent’s Office.
Click the Logo to find out more about this innovative, highly-effective program
DUSTIN J. WILLIAMS, PIMA COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
Every community needs an educational champion for change, success, and achievement. In Pima County, our champion is Potoff Pathways. Potoff has demonstrated a strong commitment to education in key areas like Career & Technical Education, skills training for high school students, and GED support for students who have left school early. Their generous backing of programs like Cycle Breaker gives opportunity-youth and adults a second chance to succeed by providing education options, wrap-around services, and employment. These supports, along with the job-based skills training they provide, help individuals become productive members of our community. As the elected Pima County School Superintendent, I am proud to partner with such an organization because they care about students and our community.
ANDREW BEVINGTON, DIRECTOR, BUSINESS & EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS
Potoff Private Philanthropy funding enables opportunity and justice-system-involved youth to access wrap-around services, educational pathways, skills training, apprenticeships, credentialing, and job placements that lead them to family-sustaining wages. Potoff is making a significant impact in the lives of young people through programs like the Pima County School Superintendent’s Cycle Breaker.
Second quarter 2023 PCB had thirteen students complete 10 hours of NRF Rise Up Retail job skills training. Upon completion, they received a $250 stipend through a grant from the City of Tucson.
I am excited to announce that we are currently working with United Way’s C2C and the Goodwill Re-Engagement Centers to develop a more robust workforce pipeline in the Hospitality Sector. Caroline Lewis, Program Manager for the Cradle to Career Partnership, created an Essential Skills for Hospitality Careers Internship that she is leading this month. This 20-hour experience includes a range of topics such as Personal Identity and Strengths, Mental Health & Wellness at Work, and Substance Misuse Prevention. Our attendees engaged with a Hospitality Panel today and will get a chance to tour the Westin La Paloma tomorrow, making it a comprehensive and hands-on experience. I am proud to say that twenty-three youths are attending this training, and we intend to connect them to hospitality jobs at our local resorts.
In addition, we are also working with United Way, Goodwill of Southern Arizona, The Pima County Workforce Investment Board’s Youth Council, and others to offer a Hospitality Job Fair on Wednesday, September 20th. We are currently working to include exhibitors from PCC Culinary, NAU’s Hospitality Program, Gap Ministries, Goodwill, Job Corps, JTED, etc. HR managers from Hacienda Del Sol, La Paloma, Miraval, Ritz Carlton, Sheraton El Conquistador, Starr Pass, Ventana Canyon, and Westward Look resorts will be in breakout rooms ready to discuss entry-level jobs, explain career pathways, and interview job seekers. This will provide an excellent opportunity for job seekers to network and connect with potential employers. Our audience will range in age from 16 – 60 and include CTE and JTED HS students, Goodwill/Cycle Breaker opportunity youth, and adult job seekers from the Pima County One-Stop.
Data From the City of Tucson NRF Grant Deliverables and Performance Measures:
| KEY MEASURES, GOALS AND DELIVERABLES | Goal FY 2023 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Final |
| Performance Metrics | |||||
| Number of Youth Served | 60 | 9 | 17 | 33 | 66 |
| Number of Youth earning NRF certification | 25 | 1 | 13 | 20 | 47 |
| Number of Youth Newly Employed through Program and Average Wage | 20 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 29 |
| Number of Youth Employed with Wages over Living Wage | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Employers Engaged | 20 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 24 |
This quarter we added the following employers: DD’s Discounts, Ross, Home to Suites Hotels, The House of Bards, Peter Piper Pizza, Family Dollar, The Tucson Airport Authority, and Walmart.