New London ― Callers dialing the city’s Youth Affairs' office phone number this week were immediately greeted by an automated message laying out the status of a popular, but lately inaccessible, youth employment program.

The message informs callers inquiring about the waiting list for the summer work program that the agency will contact them “in case of an opening.”

In an effort to address the crowded applicant list, the City Council on July 17 approved using $90,000 in unexpected state funding to add 50 more New London spots into the CT Youth Employment program.

The money goes to employers to add positions for youth workers, and also helps fund employee transportation, worker compensation, Social Security and administration costs.

But even with the new funding, dozens of kids are still waiting for open job slots that aren’t expected to materialize this year.

The CT Youth Employment Program is an Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board offering that EASTCONN, a nonprofit regional educational service center, conducts in partnership with New London Youth Affairs and Norwich Youth & Family Services to offer jobs to Eastern Connecticut participants between ages 14 and 24.

As of Wednesday, about 100 New London youths were still waiting for jobs, though roughly half those applications were paused due to incomplete information, said Cindy Alvarez, youth development and program specialist for the city’s youth services department.

Mayor Michael Passero said he learned in June about the long wait list and was told then the infusion of the $90,000 would help address the problem.

But as word spread about additional work spots possibly opening up, more applications continued to pour into the youth affairs’ office, Alvarez said.

“We got something like another 50 people applying and it was already too late to get kids into the summer program,” she said. “And since the programs we run during the school year are paid with left over summer funds, we won’t be able to add new jobs without more funding.”

Finance Director David McBride said the council-approved funding to add the 50 job slots is coming from state Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, funding the city did not anticipate receiving when it crafted the current municipal budget.

In New London, youths who sign up for the work program are paid $15 an hour – the state’s minimum wage – and can request a variety of work locations, including the Garde Arts Center, summer camps, the Salvation Army and school classrooms, as well as private businesses, including Mystic Seaport Museum, Alvarez said.

While program funding is received from several state and federal sources, New London also makes annual donations with $100,000 in city money funneled to the program last year.

“It’s not just New London kids taking advantage of the program, but they do represent the lion’s share of participants,” Passero said. “We are working to make sure all those youths on the wait list will be employed during the school year.”

Alvarez said program officials are crafting a draft funding proposal with state Rep. Anthony Nolan, D-New London, to ensure next year’s summer jobs program has enough slots to meet demand.

“At least for the New London kids,” Alvarez said.

Inside the NSA Supermarket on South Frontage Road Tuesday, Kiara Chambilla straightened rows of hot sauce and bouillon containers while her manager, Victor Crisostomo looked on approvingly.

Chambilla, who applied for the summer work program in May, said her first week on the job had so far gone swimmingly.

“I like to see things neat at home and spend a lot of time organizing,” she said. “Here, I also get to help people. And I speak Spanish, which a lot of customers do, too.”

Chambilla, who said the supermarket gig was her first paid job, works about four hours a day, and is already seen as a full-time hire candidate by her boss.

“The regular staff fight to work with her,” Crisostomo said, with Alvarez translating. “She’s organized and persistent.”

Crisostomo said he ends up hiring about 60% of the summer job program workers as regular employees, though Chambilla won’t be working much past the summer months.

“I’m taking a lot of AP classes at the Marine Science Magnet School in Groton and I don’t want to lose focus on that,” she said. “I’m planning on going to Boston University and become a nurse, maybe in pediatrics. But this has been fun so far.”

j.penney@theday.com