Exploring Program Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Public Safety Grant

In an effort to help prepare America’s future workforce for success in the public safety sector, BSA’s Exploring program was recently honored with a grant from the Motorola Solutions Foundation.

This donation will help youth discover the field of public safety through several different career tracks. In fact, five of Exploring’s 12 career programs involve public safety professions such as law enforcement, aviation, and health care.

This isn’t the first time Exploring has been recognized through this public safety endowment. Throughout the last five years, the Motorola Solutions Foundation has donated more than a quarter-million dollars for Exploring programs related to the public safety sector.

“The Exploring program provides an invaluable service for communities throughout the United States by helping young people explore career opportunities and bringing a potential work force to employers’ door step,” said Mark Wiesenhahn, National Executive Board Member for the Exploring program. “With funding from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, we are able to recruit more youth for Exploring, and help remedy concerns of a future shortage of public safety professionals.”

Several Exploring initiatives are funded by the Motorola Solutions Foundations grant, including volunteer and professional training, Explorer development, establishing new posts, and recognition.

Additionally, this grant helps provide funding for scholarships—an important factor for many young people looking to further their potential. Upon graduating from the Exploring program, youth have a better idea of what they need to do to achieve their goals, which in many cases, includes higher education. Thanks to benefactors like the Motorola Solutions Foundation, Exploring is able to assist many of its driven, young members with tuition costs.

The generosity of this donation has a huge impact on Exploring—but it’s part of an even bigger picture. The Motorola Solutions Foundation gave $3.45 million to 83 organizations in 2016, which will benefit about 1 million first responders and community members, and more than 83,173 students nationwide.

“We wholeheartedly support innovation that enhances public safety,” said Matt Blakely, Executive Director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “The programs we’re supporting will benefit a broad range of communities served by law enforcement officers and staff, fire service personnel, federal agents, emergency medical service providers and our men and women in the military services – both active duty and veterans.”

The Exploring program is available to youth through Learning for Life, an affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America that provides character and career education programs through sponsoring agencies or groups. The Exploring Program is currently offered in nearly 5,000 units nationwide, serving over 110,000 young men and women. To learn more about Exploring and experience all that this program has to offer youth, business leaders and the community, visit www.exploring.org.

The post Exploring Program Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Public Safety Grant appeared first on Scouting Newsroom.

Exploring Program Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Public Safety Grant