LOOKING FOR STUDENTS TO HELP STRUGGLING LOCAL BUSINESSES THIS SUMMER (A Three-Week Program)

The town of Greenburgh is looking for up to 30 students who are interested in learning business skills, interacting with nationally respected business leaders and helping struggling local business survive. This is the second year that the town will partner with the Zuckerberg Institute on an initiative to help businesses that are in danger of closing.

Countless Greenburgh businesses were hit hard by the pandemic and continue to struggle even as the pandemic is letting up. Some fortunate shopkeepers partook of customized help last summer when the Zuckerberg Institute paired local teens with entrepreneurs and experts in the Pandemic Task Force program.

The Post Pandemic Task Force is a three-week course for 30 high school students led by Randi Zuckerberg (Creator of Facebook Live) and the founders of the Zuckerberg Institute. In collaboration with Open Citizen alongside Arizona State University, it trains students on the mindset and skills necessary to thrive as successful innovators, from collaboration to time management. The students will work with a small, dedicated team of peers as they assist a local business in identifying and addressing root problems they face. This summer students will also work with realtors to try to fill commercial vacancies located on properties within the unincorporated section of Greenburgh.

Top Asia Mart, at 365 Central Park Avenue, Scarsdale, had the unfortunate timing of first opening during the lockdown, only to face the difficulties of decreased supply and increased demand, struggling to build new clientele when most were homebound, and to keep their store clean and staff and customers feeling safe.

Tiffany Tong of the market spoke of how the students actually helped them sanitize the store for hours, got them set up with social media pages, and tried to boost their profile in the community and improve the customer experience in the store. “They gave us ideas on how to make our store better,” Tong said. “This program is very valuable. Being a small business is not easy.”

David Diao, a student participating in the 2021 program, said of the experience, “I’ve learned not only about business, but I’ve learned how to become a better citizen, a better community member, and a better person.”

Colby Jenkins is a Greenburgh resident running a full-service event planning and vendor management organization, who also benefited from the support when so many events were on hold. “Having the network and guidance of this group at this critical time is of real value to me and my business. It is a miracle.”

The Post Pandemic Institute will meet two hours each morning Monday-Thursday from July 11th-July 28th. The cost is $1,000 per student, with the Town of Greenburgh subsidizing half of that cost for all participants, making the actual price only $500. Further scholarships are available for students with financial need, and college credit is available through Arizona State University for an additional fee. The application process is determined on merit, and an innovative mindset.

To apply or learn more, visit: https://www.zuckerberginstitute.com/taskforcegreenburgh

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor