WORCESTER, Mass. - Youth programs in Worcester got a significant financial boost on Tuesday morning.
Representatives from Amazon were in the city to present a check for $100,000 to the United Way of Central Massachusetts. The event took place at the YWCA at Salem Square in downtown Worcester.
Amazon's Senior Manager of External Affairs, Jerome Smith, presented the check to United Way of Central Massachusetts president and CEO Tim Garvin. The money will go towards supporting summer youth programs, including swimming lessons in the city.
Smith said it's important for Amazon to be a part of the communities in which they reside.
"A lot of work that we have done here and meeting a lot of the community folks has been very valuable, because we know that any place that we operate, we don't only want to be a good employer, we want to be a good neighbor," Smith said. "And so that's why it was easy having conversations with (Garvin) a number of times about the needs of the residents of Worcester and how Amazon can play a larger role."
"We know kids need to have a great summer and we recognize when kids have opportunities, when they're supported by great organizations, so many organizations in here, that, in fact, lifts up neighborhoods and lifts up communities," Garvin said.
In addition to swimming lessons, Garvin says the donation will go to a wide array of youth development programming.