The Opportunity Divide doesn't just keep our students disconnected from the mainstream economy; it prevents our businesses from growing.

When it comes to expanding opportunity, businesses and young adults are not the sources of the problem - they are a substantial part of the solution.

The millennial generation and a growing number of employees are looking for more than just a paycheck. If a nonprofit could make that easy for me, they are doing me a favor. It's not just a one-way value exchange; it is an internal morale building opportunity.

Businesses are no longer receiving the cost savings from outsourcing that they once did.

At Year Up, our students - low income 18-24 year olds - come to us having already faced substantial obstacles in life. They are not in search of a handout; what they want most of all is the ability to take ownership of their own futures.

As we say at Year Up all the time, investing in our young people is not just a matter of economic justice. It's good business sense.