Employ Milwaukee Receives NBA Foundation Funding to Expand Career Pathways for Youth Through Partnership With Milwaukee Bucks Foundation
MILWAUKEE, WI — Employ Milwaukee announced today that it has received a $250,000 grant award from the NBA Foundation to support Community Health Hustle – a partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation to offer accessible healthcare career pathways through subsidized wages, structured work experience and intentional recruitment of youth and young adults living in under-resourced neighborhoods who otherwise might be excluded from education and employment.
The funding will support programming designed to connect young people to meaningful work experiences, career exploration, and industry-informed pathways that prepare them for long-term economic success. Building on Employ Milwaukee’s role as the designated workforce development board for Milwaukee County and its history of youth employment programs, and the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation’s community reach, Community Health Hustle connects early work experience to a healthcare career pathway—advancing both workforce development and community health in Milwaukee.
“This investment from the NBA Foundation reinforces what we know to be true—when young people are given access, support, and paid opportunities to learn, they thrive,” said Julie Cayo, President and CEO of Employ Milwaukee. “By building on our youth employment models and partnering with the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation, we are creating experiences that connect youth to real careers, real wages, and real futures.”
The partnership highlights a collaborative approach that blends workforce expertise with community leadership. The Milwaukee Bucks Foundation brings deep relationships, visibility, and hands-on learning environments that complement Employ Milwaukee’s role as the local workforce development board.
“At the Bucks Foundation, we are committed to advancing community health and wellness for youth by investing in organizations that deliver real, career-connected experiences that lead to economic opportunity,” said Marla Habert, Executive Director, Milwaukee Bucks Foundation. “Employ Milwaukee’s track record and its strong partnership with the Bucks Foundation reflect the type of innovative, community-rooted approach that aligns with our mission.”
A key component of the collaboration includes experiential learning opportunities supported by Milwaukee Bucks staff and leadership, including rotational programming that introduces young people to professional workplace expectations, leadership development, and career pathways.
“This partnership is about more than funding—it’s about opening doors,” said Rodrick Cureton, Jr., Employ Milwaukee Board Member and Impact and Culture Manager for the Milwaukee Bucks, who leads the rotational program. “By combining the Bucks’ platform with Employ Milwaukee’s workforce expertise, we’re
creating environments where young people can see themselves belonging, contributing, and succeeding in professional spaces.”
Together, Employ Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation and the NBA Foundation are advancing a shared vision: ensuring Milwaukee’s young people have access to opportunity, the skills to succeed, and pathways to lasting careers.
For more information about Employ Milwaukee and its youth workforce programs, visit www.employmilwaukee.org.
About Employ Milwaukee
Employ Milwaukee is the workforce development board serving Milwaukee County. Its mission is to build a strong workforce development system by planning, coordinating, and monitoring workforce initiatives that connect job seekers to employment and help businesses access skilled talent.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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