MAN UP Mentees Land First Job At Downtown Luxury Hotel

For many of us, our first job consists of flipping burgers, lawncare and possibly being a cashier. Well, for three mentees in MAN UP they are now officially employed as stewards and hosts at the Grand Bohemian, a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Orlando, with a starting pay of $14+ an hour.

 

Malachi Joseph, Jevon Desir and Jerimiah Fudge won the golden ticket of first jobs when the organization’s longtime community partner, the Grand Bohemian Hotel Downtown Orlando decided to open its doors and begin hiring their mentees, creating a pipeline of job opportunities for their youth participants and helping to lift them out of poverty.

 

In the United States alone, there’s approximately 4.4 million Opportunity Youth   These are young people aged 16-24 who are neither working and/or not in school due to systemic factors such as a lack of access to mental health support in the workplace. Now, couple all of that with a large-scale youth mental health crisis sweeping our nation and it’s the perfect storm.



But by employing the whole child approach, MAN UP has changed the game for its mentees in these ways:

• Fall of 2023, the Orlando-based community-organization launched The MAN UP CEO Program, a workforce development initiative that exposes at-risk youth to various career paths, literacy tutoring, financial literacy, and the journey of entrepreneurship, while also serving as a deterrent to youth violence and criminal activity.

• In 2024. they were awarded the AdventHealth Community Investment Grant and launched the MAN UP GRACE Project, a cutting-edge mental health pilot program, using virtual reality and small group processing sessions to make a difference.

 

Collectively, both programs address many of the root-issues associated with cyclical poverty. While simultaneously, helping their mentees become stable, confident, and empowered employees.

By grooming youth who are better trained and prepared for the workforce, MAN UP is helping to build a stronger Orlando and develop productive members of society.

 

At age 18, Joseph was ecstatic about landing his first job. He admits, his family and peers questioned his new opportunity. His brother, Desir, started training this week, and will be serving as a host, he looks forward to enhancing the guest experience. “I'm excited to give people a great experience at the Grand Bohemian, communicating with others from different backgrounds, meeting new people and just providing excellent customer service,” the 16-year-old shared.

 

According to the Economic Policy of Institute, “Raising the minimum wage to $15 in 2025 would lift up to 3.7 million people — including an estimated 1.3 million children — out of poverty.”

 

Benjamin McCarney, has been the general manager of the Grand Bohemian Hotel Downtown Orlando for two years “It’s not about filling these positions. It’s about giving these young men an environment where they are working around high-caliber professionals and what it means to work in that environment,” McCarney said.

 

When asked what he wants them to take away from this experience, McCarney went on to say, “Confidence in working at a high level, being detail oriented and knowing they can work in anyplace on any level.”

 

As the mentees began the hiring process, they completed their applications sitting across from McCarney in his office. After a couple of weeks, the calls for interviews began and, after hiring, the onboarding process started. McCarney even gave them a tour of the extravagant hotel and introduced them to the different department heads, the executive chef and their supervisors. Joseph and Fudge are now fully working their Saturday and Sunday hours, while Desir is in training. Soon, another mentee will begin the interview process.

 

Having the job has encouraged Joseph to heighten his sense of self, “The Grand Bohemian is a pretty high-class job, so being able to get this job encourages me that I can do even bigger things in life and reach greater achievements.”

 

“A job of this caliber gives them a head start on lifting themselves out of poverty, as well as open doors to endless opportunities while building their confidence,” said Chris Wallace, the organization’s co-founder. “It also allows them to help out at home, have money for themselves and begin the practice of saving money.”

 

Admitting that working eight hours on the weekends is an adjustment, Joseph shares that the days working with his fellow mentee and friend makes the time go by quicker. “Time just goes by fast while we're working together, talking about work and school,” he says.

 

Their days consist of washing lots of dishes, getting items needed for the chef, seating guests and filling the gaps where they’re needed to support the hotel’s staff. McCarney says he’s excited for the mentees to have this opportunity and start their careers at the Grand Bohemian because it opens their minds to what they can do.

 

When Fudge was asked what he would say to his younger self, he shared, “Hang in there and keep pushing. Connect with an organization like MAN UP that will motivate, prepare, and introduce you to the best version of yourself, and when the opportunity presents, be willing to step out of your comfort zone and walk through the door.”

 

MAN UP is beyond thankful to McCarney and The Grand Bohemian Staff for investing in their youth. In their words, “this changes the trajectory of their future drastically.” It’s experiences like these that open the eyes of mentees to what is waiting for them beyond the communities they live in today. It’s what gives them hope in a brighter future for themselves!