Indy Market offers summer jobs, opportunities for Atlanta-area youth

ATLANTA, Ga. (CW69 News at 10) — A local organization is opening doors for youth by giving them summer jobs and connections to opportunities.

Members of the ATL Youth Market Street Team showed up at Pittsburgh Yards this week on a mission to do some good and get paid.

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“It’s a good way to help the community and help teens and kids,” said Jayden Camara, 10, a member of the street team.

They’re part of an organization launched in 2016 called Indy Market, an “independent market for everyone.”

“Indy Market helps them build themselves on the inside, and not just the outside,” said Indy Market President and CEO Christopher Welch.

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Welch says the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” is the driving force behind the mission. He’s offering jobs to youth ages 8 to 25, and about 20 kids currently participate. “We’re trying to hire over 10,000 kids before the end of the year,” he said.

The mission includes a street team, door-to-door campaign and connecting kids with mentors. They’re also paid to give out free bottled water through his bucket drop program. Welch is hoping it will steer water boys away from selling water, a side hustle that has resulted in violent confrontations like one he experienced last month. “He started waving his gun and shooting it, and he actually shot at the car,” he said.

Welch filed a police report following the incident, but he says he’s more interested in getting them into the program. “We’re plugging everybody together so we can engage this village to be one united,” he said.

He says he funds the venture mostly out of his own pocket, but he’s hoping businesses and celebrities will support the cause.

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Indy Market also engages with adults and seniors to help meet their needs. For more information, click here.