The SOURCE Receives Steelcase Foundation Grant to Continue Employment Readiness Program in Partnership with AYA Youth Collective
- May 15
- 2 min read
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 15, 2026 – The SOURCE has been awarded a three-year grant from the Steelcase
Foundation to continue its workforce development programming to support young people at AYA Youth Collective. The SOURCE provides career readiness, resource navigation and job placement services to young people who are connected to AYA. New partners, including Express Employment, Goodwill Industries, and Steepletown Neighborhood Services are joining the initiative to help young people who are experiencing instability secure employment. The SOURCE’s employer network will again be invited to provide employment opportunities to program participants.
“The young people we serve at AYA are talented and resilient, and they deserve every opportunity to achieve their professional goals,” said Lourdes Jordan, SOURCE Program Manager. “The first two years of this program were incredibly rewarding, as we pushed ourselves to meet the young adults we work with where they are. We have taken what we learned during that two-year pilot and built a strong program to help them succeed. I’m confident our new partners will add significant value as we work together to secure safe and supportive work environments that set young people up for success. We remain so grateful to the Steelcase Foundation for their ongoing support of this life- changing program.”
Program participants complete career aptitude assessments, financial literacy training, social and emotional learning, and other programs that will help them navigate interpersonal relationships and workplace expectations. The SOURCE’s resource navigators assist participants in accessing community support to overcome barriers to employment. Employers who commit to providing career opportunities receive support from The SOURCE to equip them with the tools they need to help participants reach their full potential. Participating employers do not need to be SOURCE network members.
Grand Rapids-based employers who are interested in learning more about how they can support young adults from AYA as they enter the workforce should email info@thesourcemi.org.
To learn more about The SOURCE, visit: www.thesourcemi.org.
About The SOURCE
The SOURCE creates equitable access to opportunities for career growth and improved well-being by stabilizing households, strengthening employment retention, and advocating for changes in community policies to eliminate inequities and systemic barriers to employment. Since its founding in 2003, The SOURCE has grown to serve clients across Michigan and today partners with many of the state’s most influential employers, philanthropic organizations, and community-based organizations to improve economic well- being for everyone, including many of the most historically underserved populations in our communities.
Media inquiries:
Joyce Rohrer
Senior Regional Director - West
The SOURCE