Box 3, Folder 17, Document 30

Box 3, Folder 17, Document 30

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A year ago, the West End Nei
Service Center_ initiated @ ‘unique pro
bisy the idle hands end minds of hundreds of
jobless, moneyless kids desiring work during
the summer, Many of these children were
under 16 and financially dependent on them-
selves, They wanted to carn money so they
could go beck to school in the fall with ede-
quate money for clothing, transportation to
schoo] and lunch money,

borhood

Appropriately called Rent-A~Kid, the non
profit program last year operated on a shoe-
string budget and was able to organize, super-
vise and place about 400 children in jobs
throughout the Atlanta area, The pro-
gram was so popular with kids themseives
that by the end of the summer there were
many, Many more boys and girls on reserve
waiting lists than there were actuslly work-
ing.

This summer, the Mayor's Council on
Youth has expanded the Rent-A-Kid program
to tap the youth resources in ten underprivi-
-leged sections throughout the five county Met-
ropolitan area,

A picture of the average Rent-A-Kid re-
veals that he is 15 years old, has six broth-
ers and sisters, lives in a household where
there is no ‘lather and his mother works,
He lives in public housing, shares a bed with
at least two other children and eats one and a



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half meals per day, His family’s income is
less than $3,000 per
work as he is to eat,

Rent-A~Kids can mow lawns, trim shubbery,
clean flowerbeds, wesh windows, move furni-
ture, clean out basements, attics and garages,
paint (with supervision), mend and hem, iron,
babysit, wash cars and many other things that
are not Hsted here, Chances are, if the public
needs a job to be done that is not listed here,
a Rent-A-Kid will be able to fit the bill,

They are available from Mondays through
Fridays from 9 to 5 and on Saturdays from 9
to 1, They work on an hourly basis with an
average charge of $1.35 per hour or 75 cents
an hour for bebysitting during the dey. The
charge, however, is flexible depending on the
type of work to be done,

The kids are willing and ceger, butthe suc-
cess of the program depends entirely on the
jobs available for them, This is where Met-
ropolitan area residents comein, Lookaround
the house, Look around the yard, Look around
the basement or the attic, Look at allthat you
wish to do and do not have time to do,

Then, think of the many ch idren who beg,
‘Do you know where I can get a job?’

And call 577-5252, You need the help. ..

-year. He is as eager to

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