Celebrating Success: Newark EMS Corps’ First Cohort Graduation

In 2022, GreenLight Fund Greater Newark launched with a bold vision—to drive meaningful, lasting change in our city. Just three years ago, we set out with determination, immersing ourselves in the work, eager to bring deliverable and meaningful change towards inclusive prosperity in our city. Entering our very first selection cycle we embarked on an ambitious journey, guided by the GreenLight Method, to address urgent community needs, overcome challenges, and uplift the immense talent within our city.

With the unwavering support of our community and trusted Selection Advisory Council, we engaged in honest and  hopeful conversations about how best to serve Newark. The GreenLight method began with our Newark team launching a  Community Conversations Tour, where we held over 100 individual meetings and collected more than 200 surveys from residents to identify urgent unmet needs within the community. Throughout these conversations, we heard from our community that young adults were struggling to find stable, long-term job opportunities. As our research deepened, data revealed a startling statistic in Newark that approximately 7,000 opportunity youth—individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are disconnected from school or sustainable employment. Of these, only 1% go on to earn an associate degree or higher, a stark contrast to the 15.5% of Newark residents who have attained a college degree. Providing career mobility early on is crucial to breaking the cycle of unemployment, which too often leads to persistent poverty, further underlying the need for more workforce opportunities that can bridge this gap.

After a year-long, rigorous selection process, we identified an organization that directly addresses this challenge: EMS Corps. This impactful program stood out for its ability to equip opportunity youth with the training, mentorship, and career pathways needed to secure sustainable employment in the emergency medical services field, offering a tangible solution to both youth disconnection and workforce shortages in our city.

Newark EMS Corps became GreenLight Newark’s first investment, a testament to our commitment to ensuring young adults in our city have access to transformative opportunities. We envision a future where Newark’s youth won’t just seek careers—they will become the city’s everyday heroes, deeply connected to and representative of the community they serve. With the support of dedicated partners including our implementing partner, Newark Opportunity Youth Network, and training and hiring partner, RWJ Barnabas Health’s Mobile Health, the program was designed to create opportunities and elevate Newark’s next generation of emergency medical professionals. 

Today, that vision becomes a reality as we proudly celebrate a historic milestone: the graduation of the first Newark EMS Corps cohort. This trailblazing group of remarkable young people have undergone intensive training, earned their EMT certifications, and now stand ready to serve their community in critical emergency response roles. Their success speaks to the power of investing in the future of our local workforce, the strength of community partnerships in driving sustainable change, and the emergence of a new generation of skilled EMT professionals ready to make a difference.

Newark EMS Corps is more than a program, it is an opportunity that saves lives in and out the classroom. It represents the very foundation of GreenLight Fund Greater Newark’s journey. This moment is surreal, a reminder of how far we’ve come since those early days, and a testament to what is possible when we believe in our young people  and invest in their futures. In times when progress feels slow and challenges seem insurmountable, milestones like this reaffirm why we do this work. 

We couldn’t be more proud of Newark EMS Corps’s first graduating class. Their dedication, perseverance, and passion for serving their community inspire us all. This is just the beginning of a brighter future for Newark’s young adults and we are honored to be part of it. To the graduates: congratulations! Thank you to everyone who made this achievement possible.

To be a part of the next cohort, please visit Newark EMS Corps website to apply today!