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WHEREAS, Reggie Smith began serving youth by being a basketball official for the WPIAL for the last 20 years and has worked with the community on several job programs and anti-gang program initiatives under Mayor Tom Murphy in 1996 and continued working with youth at YouthPlaces in the year 2000 as a Program Manager; and,
WHEREAS, in the year 2000, he became a Program Manager for YouthPlaces, which provides community based, quality after school programs for underserved, high risk youth from ages 12-18; and,
WHEREAS, Mr. Smith is currently the Associate Director of YouthPlaces and is committed to reaching youth who have limited access to programs and little post-high school support, and helps them transition successfully into the next phase of life exposing them to the working world; and,
WHEREAS, by preparing youth for employment, connecting them to their first job experience and facilitating subsequent career development, YouthPlaces 1st Jobs Program helps young people overcome their challenges; and,
WHEREAS, Hard Work Enterprises enables youth to develop landscaping skills and various manual labor projects such as power washing, brickwork, painting and connects participants to training, education and employment; and,
WHEREAS, Reggie eventually joined in the fight to keep REAM Recreation Center open in Mount Washington by bringing community members and local businesses together with the City of Pittsburgh. Many of the programs offered by YouthPlaces are now held at the REAM Recreation Center; and,
WHEREAS, although Reggie has had many accomplishments over the past several years, he is most proud of watching youth go through the programs offered by YouthPlaces and move on to college and/or the workforce; and,
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby commend Mr. Reggie Smith for the work he does in empowering our youth; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of th...
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