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McDonald's is preparing to launch a major campaign, and spend $2 million, to promote employment among the youth in Chicago, home of the fast-food megachain’s headquarters.

Mickey D’s announced Wednesday the debut of its Youth Opportunity initiative in Chicago, “with a global goal to reduce barriers to employment for two million young people by 2025.”

According to a press release, the chain will distribute $1 million in grants to local community groups in the Illinois city for job readiness training. McDonald then plans to give an additional $1 million grant to Skills for Chicagoland’s Future to design a new apprenticeship program with City Colleges of Chicago. If the plan proves successful, McDonald’s plans to launch similar campaigns in other American cities starting in 2019.

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Likewise, in Europe, McDonald’s has committed to offering 43,000 apprenticeships by 2025.

“We feel we have an obligation to be a good neighbor,” said David Fairhurst, McDonald’s executive vice president and chief people officer, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune.

“Around the world, too many young people are finding that, through no fault of their own, there are barriers to entry into the workplace. We believe this needs to change,” Fairhurst continued in the release.

“Together, we will leverage our scale for good and help these young people to develop the core workplace skills they need to get a job and the opportunities they need to kick-start their career and achieve their true potential – whether at McDonald’s or elsewhere.”

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“I want to commend McDonald’s and their independent franchisees for demonstrating what it means to be a good corporate citizen and for investing in Chicago’s next generation,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said of the news. “Chicago is proud to partner with McDonald’s to ramp up our workforce development efforts and help create more opportunities for young men and women across our great city.”

While McDonald’s is often targeted by the Fight for $15 campaign and other activists fighting for higher wages for fast-food employees, the company says the major investment reflects its commitment to doing good, the Tribune reports.

“We know we have to be competitive on pay but what we’re hearing from employees is, “Show us the opportunity. Give us a chance,” Fairhurst mused.

Representatives for McDonald’s not immediately return Fox News’ request for additional comment on the story.