OKLAHOMA CITY – Pivot, A Turning Point for Youth, is introducing jams and jellies made and packaged by the youth it serves that will be available online for purchase beginning Oct. 5.

The sweet condiments are the results of a new enterprise, Pivot Preserves, an in-house, trauma-informed job training program for youth facing workforce barriers in Oklahoma City.

“Whether young people are aging out of foster care or are not in a stable place to find and keep a steady job, Pivot is here to support them during this time of transition and to help them gain the experience they need to become self-reliant adults,” Lydia Shelton, creator of Pivot Preserves, said in a news release. “From making jam, to jarring, to shipping and marketing, we are giving our young people tools for success through our small business.”

Pivot has served youth in Oklahoma City for more than 50 years, and staff have seen youth struggle to stay on their feet with their first job in the workforce. Through Pivot Preserves, youth will have an opportunity to work on campus making preserves for six months, gaining necessary job training in a safe environment.

It started with a large donation of fruit from a local food pantry and grew into the program designed to help graduates move on to full-time, stable employment.

“We are always looking for ways to break down barriers for the young people we serve,” Jennifer Goodrich, president and CEO of Pivot, said in the release. “When we saw the need, our partners stepped in to help make our dream a reality, especially United Way of Central Oklahoma’s Wayfinder grant, Bank of America, MetaFund and Oklahoma Development Finance Agency.”

Pivot Preserves will celebrate its official launch with a party from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Roughtail Brewing Co., 320 W. Memorial Rd. Guests can buy jam, eat dinner and play trivia.

Following the online launch, Pivot Preserves plans to expand to farmers markets, retail spaces, co-packing partnerships and more.

More information is available at pivotpreserves.org or by contacting Elizabeth McLeckie at 405-960-1093 or [email protected].