>> Good evening and welcome to MetroFocus, the Bronx is owned to the highest concentration of women living in poverty, one in three women lacking the proper resources to support themselves and their families.

We brought you a story about two organizations coming together to solve the problem, if she and Robin Hood -- PepsiCo and Robin Hood.

These organizations have been collaborating to support workforce training programs for thousands of young women in the Bronx.

We are following up with our friends from PepsiCo and Robin Hood to hear how successful this collaboration has been.

Joining us as part of this is Charlene Denizard, Senior Director, Sarah Oltmans that chief of grand strategy at Robin Hood and to the women who participated in the nontraditional program for women, Nyaisha Lee and Fox Williams.

Thank you for joining us.

Let me start off, let us take a look back, I will start off with Charlene first if I can.

What was it that made you look at the Robin Hood group and say this could be a good place for us to partner?

Charlene: Thank you for having me and highlighting this work, it was wonderful to highlight what we were going to do and even a better story when we came back and said this is what we actually accomplished.

New York City is in our backyard, the world headquarters is in here -- is here.

Like to do work in our own backyard, we looked for wonderful partners where we could invest so that we do not just do work on we are making an investment and it is important to be looking at folks who are underserved, who need a step up, a leg up in opportunity and access to be able to achieve.

Robin Hood was obviously one of the best organizations in New York City, also similarly minded.

I worked for some of the best businesspeople in the world, I am fortunate enough to do philanthropy.

We are business minded and similarly Robin Hood has a board of amazing business people.

It is about impact, taking the money that they have, you can never have enough money to put the money we have and making sure that it is doing the most it can do.

Finding the best nonprofit partners who can execute on our vision.

>> Let us look at it from your perspective.

This partnership with PepsiCo and the foundation and the work that they have done, tell us about your decision to focus on the Bronx and the programs that you put together?

Sarah: Thank you again for having us here today.

I am excited to have this conversation.

We believe that your starting point should not define where you end up.

Every New Yorker deserves a fair shot.

Coming together with the coat there was for shared values, commitment to New York City -- with PepsiCo, their work shared values, a commitment to New York City, we had seen the starting statistics and we know these well.

183 women in the Bronx are living in poverty.

We felt like coming together we would be able to have greater impact.

Over the past five years we have been funding five different programs that are focused on educational opportunities and economic opportunities for women and girls.

>> Let us bring in Fox and Nyaisha to talk about your participation.

What were you doing before you became engaged in one of these programs?

What were you hoping the program could provide for you?

Fox: Before I started knew I was a robotics engineer and I taught robotics to middle school students.

I had to join because I wanted to see what commercial.

Electrical work was like.

I only focused on electronics in the smaller scale.

It helped me get exposure to commercial electrical work.

>> Let me ask you the same thing here.

What were you doing first and what drew you to the program?

Nyaisha: prior to my time with them I was working in the information technology field, as a help desk specialist or a level two helpdesk specialist.

What drew me in is I wanted to change career, have a change of pace and I wanted a tangible scale I was able to take with me -- skill I was able to take with me throughout my career.

They made me feel confident even though I am a woman, there is a place for me in all industries and the sky is the limit.

>> Just so our employers -- of yours now, we are talking about the new opportunities for women.

You mentioned you are now involved in an industry?

That has been primarily male throughout the course of its history.

How are you fading in and do you feel in some ways your presence is helping -- fitting in and how do you feel in some ways your presence is helping?

Nyaisha: we think differently at times.

I would be part of teams and we came across a problem on the site and the guys would not be able to figure it out.

With my background and the different way of how I think, I will suggest a new solution and that is what solves the problem.

It is a nice moment to have where people from different walks of life and think differently come together and we are able to create a practical solution.

>> Certainly, the essence of the notion of diversity and inclusion.

Different thoughts and different approaches and backgrounds, people who look different from others and see when they blend together.

You can indeed achieve some things.

How about you?

Nyaisha: I also would like to agree with Fox.

A woman's perspective can be very helpful.

At times, it is also important that women are present because there are preconceived notions that women cannot do the job or are not capable or have do not have the wits to do it.

It is good to show other men on the job we are capable, we are willing, and we are able.

I think that the demand is earned as well.

I am grateful to be a great representative of that.

>> I have to ask you now when you listen to these talented and successful young women, and talk about what they have gained from this program.

How does it make you feel?

Charlene: Immense pride.

I love hearing your stories and hearing how what was the concept of an idea of how we wanted to help people a few years ago it really impacts individual lives.

We should not think about the numbers are impressive and we are delighted with the numbers, our goal was to help 20,000 young women and we helped 37,000.

>> An astonishing number that you should all be very proud of!

Charlene: We feel great but it should not get past us that each one of those young women is a person with a life and who is trying to make it in the world and in many cases supporting a family, perhaps on a single income.

That is the driver and where the great sense of pride happens.

You are helping individuals.

It is not just about the big, audacious goal.

>> How about you?

Sarah: When you listen to Fox and Nyaisha speak about their experiences, if you give people opportunities you eliminate the.

Barriers in their lives.

whether it is -- barriers in their lives.

Whether it is a transportation or childcare barriers, give the people opportunities, it can be transformative.

Give them an opportunity to support themselves, their family, impressive work they have been doing.

>> What do you think, I will come back to you here, clearly, when we look at the successes of women like Fox and Nyaisha We can point to individual stories.

What about dispelling misperceptions or misconceptions about people who want to elevate themselves?

Looking for an opportunity to elevate their lives?

Charlene: I think those individuals are what do it and shows like yours who are willing to have them on and showcase them and see that Sarah and I are not the story.

They are the story.

I think it is inspirational and I think when you are a corporation or an individual and you want to help, think about where your money is going towards helping and how the organization operates.

Sarah brought up a great point about the wraparound support.

We supported a program at the college that was all about wraparound support.

It is not just about the will and the desire for people to want to get a new skill or do better, there are barriers, transportation, books, childcare, your program is not taking that into account you are not really thinking about success.

You are thinking about giving away training degrees which is not helpful.

They are a wonderful inspiration for others.

>> I will come to you for the last words and I can personally appreciate what you have done.

I was raised by single mother who went back to college in her late 30's so that she could become a teacher and raise her four children.

I know how difficult what you are doing is and how you should be applauded for the successes.

A quick question to both of you.

What would you say to another woman you may meet who heard I you got involved, what would it do for me?

Fox: It could give you limitless opportunities.

When you see the new poster you think of construction trades, and now I am in a trait I have so many more opportunities where I can become an estimator, a project manager, I had run my own electrical shop, a drafts woman, so many things, it is the entry point.

That is what branches out to numerous opportunities.

I encourage women to try it out, get into the trades, with unions, they pay for your college if you want to go back.

I know many people have gone back to get their bachelors in electrical engineering to become project managers.

The opportunities are limitless.

>> The last quick question to you, what would you say to somebody else?

Good thing you have the electrical training!

You got us back online there.

What would you say?

Nyaisha: It is the steppingstone for you to have opportunities and take advantage of this program.

It is specifically designed to help you.

In all facets of life.

You may be stock, you do not know what to do in your field, you come across a difficult situation.

There is guidance.

It is not just you graduate from the new program and you are just forgotten about.

It is a family, it is a cohort and a camaraderie amongst other women.

I just within the electrical -- not just within the electrical trades but all trades.

We will ask each other when come through this program?

You will hear yes.

It is an additional sisterhood that we have amongst each other.

>> It is a marvelous success story, you are to be applauded for what you have done and the opportunities you have taken advantage of.

You are two very talented women and clearly the sky is the limit for your successes.

Congratulations to you all for also putting this together to give women the opportunity.

Thank you for joining us, congratulations to all of your successes.

You all be well now.

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