PHILANTHROPY
PHILANTHROPY
Youngsters Learn to “ Think Big ” On Their Careers and Futures
By Diane C . Walsh Editor , COMMERCE
Jim Bowman says he ’ s not out to save the plant in his retirement , yet he just might be saving some youngsters in New Jersey ’ s underserved communities .
Bowman is the impetus behind the New Jersey chapter of Think Big for Kids , an altruistic organization that originated in Tampa , Fl . Its mission is to “ to help break the cycle of poverty by helping young kids excel in today ’ s workforce and giving them , the knowledge and the education to help them select career paths that interest them ,” Bowman explained in a recent interview with COMMERCE .
A Somerset resident , Bowman retired when he sold his successful IT services company and now spends half of the year in Florida . There , he saw first-hand how Think Big is making an impact . His friend , Tony DiBenedetto , founded the organization in Tampa and gave his blessing when Bowman wanted to bring it to the Garden State . Think Big also has operations in Atlanta ,
Chicago , Dallas , and the Greater Washington , D . C . area .
Think Big partners with local Boys and Girls Clubs to bring programs to middle school and high school students . Through exploratory workshops and field trips , they get an opportunity to see and hear directly from business owners , managers , workers and in many cases , college officials too , talk about specifics industries and jobs .
J . P . Morgan Chase , Johnson & Johnson , M & T Bank , Port Jersey Logistics and many other firms have already aligned with Think Big . The partners run the gamut from national firms to local businesses , like Mack Boring and Parts Company in Somerset and Bulbrite Industries , a manufacturer in Moonachie . Volunteers from the business world bring jobs to life for the youngsters and often become their mentors , said Bowman , who is always recruiting new corporate partners . A school guidance counselor might steer a student toward a college major , whereas Think Big delves into career paths and solid job opportunities . like to see people who come from Paterson and Passaic . They like to hear somebody who sounds like them and who looks like them ,” McGuire said .
Ayana Bell , the director of operations at the Mercer County Boys and Girls Club , who works out of the Spruce Street location in Lawrence Township , was just as enthusiastic . For the past two years she has been working with Think Big in afterschool programs for middle schoolers and summer camps . Most recently , the non-profit funded a $ 5,000 scholarship , for which the club is very grateful .
Bell said she appreciates how the organization “ tailors the material to the age group they are teaching .” She said the youngsters never get bored by the personal experiences they hear about . “ They tell our kids the honest truth about what it takes to get into these fields ,” she added .
One of the most popular programs included a field trip to the customer service department at a trailer and fleet management company .
Continued
“ These kids come from challenging backgrounds but they want to learn .”
Youngsters from The Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County Tween Camp learned about the workings of Port Jersey Logistics during a tour .
For instance , he said their workshops won ’ t just talk about possible jobs ; they discuss what it ’ s like working in the field . “ So they can really begin to understand what their life is going to be like . As opposed to just saying , Hey , I ’ m going to go major in psychology and I ’ ll figure out what I want to do after I get my degree , right ? We want to be a little bit more proactive and prescriptive on what they can actually do ,” he said .
The New Jersey chapter of Think Big is mainly operating in northern towns , including Asbury Park , Clifton , Long Branch , Lawrence Township , Neptune , Passaic , Paterson , and Trenton . Bowman is gearing up to move into Essex County soon .
Wendy McGuire , the executive director of the Boys and Girls Club that serves Paterson and Passaic , described the Think Big approach as “ phenomenal .” She said the organization developed an amazing partnership because it can directly connect the teens with resources to understand different careers . Moreover , she said the speakers are from the community . “ They
Assembling shipping boxes is one of the added services Port Jersey Logistics provides , youngsters learned during their " hands-on " tour .
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