The Obamas Will Donate $2 Million

The former president said he wanted to get to work on his presidential center right away to combat the perception Chicago is a dangerous place.

Former President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he and Michelle Obama would personally donate $2 million to support summer jobs for Chicago young people this year.

Obama made the announcement while presenting preliminary plans for his presidential library and center in Chicago’s Jackson Park neighborhood. Construction will take four years, but Obama said he wanted the facility to start offering programs immediately.

“We don’t want to wait for a building,” he said. “One of the things that we will be starting this year is Michelle and I personally are going to donate $2 million to our summer jobs programs here in the community, so that right away, young people can get to work and we can start providing opportunities to all of them.”

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