Lake Forest Students Compete to Win $30,000 to Create Local Jobs

On Wednesday, September 12, Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling will bring the Dear Future Chicago challenge to Lake Forest College. Dear Future Chicago was created to help young adults develop new, innovative ideas to improve workforce development in the greater Chicago area. Dear Future Chicago is a part of the national Dear Future Challenge, an initiative by The Coca-Cola Company to encourage people to join in locally based efforts to renew and strengthen communities across America.

“As a community experiencing higher rates of joblessness compared to the national average, Chicagoland residents and businesses have an opportunity to provide those looking for work with the tools they need to land a job and to be successful in that role,” said Clare Galvão, Commercial Director at Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling. “Dear Future Chicago is an effort to engage the energy and passion of young people to take a leadership role in helping to solve this complex issue.”

To participate in the Dear Future Chicago challenge, Lake Forest College students and young adults ages 18 to 24 can submit their ideas in person this Wednesday, September 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mohr Student Center (14-84 Campus Circle) located on the Lake Forest College Campus. Young adults can also submit their ideas online by visiting www.coke.com/dearfuturecommunity.

After the program closes in mid-October, all of the submissions will be evaluated and an award of $30,000 will be made to one change making idea. The change maker behind the winning ideas will be paired with local partners – Coca-Cola Scholars, local NGOs – who will mentor them and help them turn their vision into reality.