US Labor Dept. Awards $75.8M For At-Risk Youth Programs
WASHINGTON — From an event at a YouthBuild facility in Chicago, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced grants totaling $75,848,000 from fiscal year 2011 appropriations to fund 76 YouthBuild programs in 36 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of that amount, $75,411,688 represents total funding for 74 programs. The remaining amount supplements awards for two programs partially funded earlier this year from fiscal year 2010 appropriations. "Every day in America, 7,000 students drop out of high school. Our nation cannot afford to lose these young people," said Secretary Solis. "YouthBuild provides an important second chance to earn an education while also developing valuable skills for the jobs of today and tomorrow." YouthBuild is an alternative education program that offers individuals ages 16-24 training and practical experience for "in-demand" industry careers. Participants, who also earn high school diplomas or GED certificates through the program, have been in the juvenile justice system, are aging out of foster care, are high school dropouts, and are otherwise at-risk of failing to reach key educational milestones and opportunities that lead to career fulfillment. In addition to receiving academic and occupational skills training, participants develop leadership skills and contribute community service. The Labor Department has administered the YouthBuild program since 2006, awarding its first grants in 2007. In that time, more than 16,000 youth have been served by YouthBuild programs nationwide. The two previously funded programs now receiving supplemental funding are Prologue in Chicago and BCFS Health and Human Services in San Antonio. Program Year 2011YouthBuild Awards Organization Name City State Amount City of Phoenix Phoenix Ariz. 1,100,000 Able-Disabled Advocacy Inc. San Diego Calif. 1,100,000 Sacramento Local Conservation Corps Sacramento Calif. 1,100,000 San Gabriel Valley Conservation and Service Corps El Monte Calif. 1,099,946 San Joaquin County Office of Education Stockton Calif. 1,100,000 The Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee Project Chula Vista Calif. 1,100,000 The San Diego Imperial Counties Labor Council San Diego Calif. 1,100,000 Year One doing business as Mile High Youth Corps Denver Colo. 1,057,652 Latin American Youth Center YouthBuild Public Charter School (Columbia Heights) Washington DC 1,100,000 Lakeland Housing Authority Lakeland Fla. 997,492 Prevention PLUS Inc. Forest Park Ga. 1,020,000 Southwest Georgia United Empowerment Zone Vienna Ga. 1,100,000 Department of Community Services Honolulu Hawaii 1,100,000 Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Iowa 787,575 Comprehensive Community Solutions Inc. Rockford Ill. 1,099,981 Emerson Park Development Corp. East St. Louis Ill. 1,100,000 OAI Inc. Chicago Ill. 1,100,000 Prologue * Chicago Ill. 218,156 United Methodist Children`s Home Mt. Vernon Ill. 1,099,663 YouthBuild Lake County Inc. North Chicago Ill. 1,100,000 United Way of Wyandotte County. Inc. Kansas City Kan. 1,100,000 Young Adult Development in Action Inc. doing business as YouthBuild Hazard Jackson Ky. 700,000 Young Adult Development in Action Inc./YouthBuild Louisville Louisville Ky. 1,100,000 East Baton Rouge Parish Housing Authority Baton Rouge La. 1,037,807 Louisiana Delta Community College - Tallulah Campus Tallulah La. 780,000 Northshore Technical College - Sullivan Campus Bogalusa La. 911,184 Quad Area Community Action Agency Inc. Hammond La. 1,100,000 St. James Parish Government/ Department of Human Resources Convent La. 900,000 The Hope Center Inc. Gretna La. 1,100,000 Training Resources of America Inc. (Quincy YouthBuild) Worcester Mass. 808,200 LearningWorks Portland Maine 1,080,000 Community Action Agency Jackson Mich. 755,004 Metro Community Development Inc. Flint Mich. 1,092,080 Northwest Michigan Council of Governments Traverse City Mich. 1,100,000 SER Metro-Detroit, Jobs for Progress Inc. Detroit Mich. 1,100,000 Bi-County Community Action Programs Inc. Bemidji Minn. 791,200 Tree Trust St. Paul Minn. 772,869 Job Point Columbia Mo. 1,100,000 Mississippi Action for Community Education Inc.
