Barack and Michelle Obama donate $2 million to summer jobs programs in Chicago

Former President Barack Obama hosted a community event at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago on Wednesday -- and made some big announcements about the future plans for his center's campus.

The 44th president announced he and his wife, Michelle Obama, will be donating $2 million to summer jobs programs in Chicago.

"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," Obama said.

The Obamas post-presidency

"We'll be working with the city, we'll be working with the county, we'll be working with businesses because part of what we want to do is reach young people who might be at risk if they don't have something to do during the summers," Obama continued. "But part of what we also want to do is to reach older youth who may be prepared for apprenticeships because one of the things that this project is going to do is generate jobs."

Obama said the program will be starting immediately, however, the overall process to complete the presidential center will take about four years.