Larson Announces Community Renewal Team To Receive Recovery Act Funding to Create Youthbuild Program

July 10, 2009

FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE:July 8, 2009

CONTACT: Paul Mounds860-278-8888

Larson Announces Community Renewal Team ToReceive Recovery Act Funding to Create Youthbuild Program

Funding Will Create Second YouthbuildProgram in Hartford

Hartford,CT-U.S. Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01) announced that the Community RenewalTeam, Inc. (CRT) will receive $463,620 in Recovery Act funding to develop aneducation and workforce training program for youth ages 18-24. This funding will create the CapitalCity Youthbuild Program, the second YouthBuild program in Hartford to help atrisk youth. Through the Recovery Act, seventy-five community organizationsnationwide, in addition to CRT, will receive funding to support current or newYouthBuild programs.

TheYouthbuild Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, assists youthages 16-24 in earning their diploma or GED and providing them with job trainingopportunities. Youthbuild participants also construct or rehabilitateaffordable housing for low income or homeless families in the program's homebased community. Participants in the Capital City Youthbuild program willassist in rehabilitating two abandoned properties into affordable housing forlow -income families in the Northend of Hartford.

In theclassroom and on the construction site, YouthBuild prepares young adults forcollege and a career while developing them into positive community leaders androle models.

"Iam proud to announce CRT has received Recovery Act funding to establish a newYouthBuild program in Hartford. CRT, under the leadership of Lena Rodriquez,has truly been a partner in breaking the cycle of poverty and its inevitableconsequences within our urban communities," said Congressman Larson. "TheRecovery Act is working here in Connecticut and across the nation with targetedinvestments to grow and restore our economy. The YouthBuild fundingannouncement for CRT represents a critical investment in our nation's greatestasset, our youth. And through its education and job training programs,Youthbuild continues to serve as a preeminent national program for empoweringour inner city youth to become tomorrow's leaders."

LenaRodriquez, President and CEO of CRT said, "We are very happy to beestablishing a YouthBuild program in North Hartford. This program bringstogether a particularly strong group of partners, including the HartfordHousing Authority and the Carpenters Union. It will have a long-term effect byimproving the housing stock in Hartford; helping youth move onto a careerladder with a future; and improving their families' financial stability.Considering the unemployment rate of Hartford youth in general -- anddisconnected youth in particular -- CRT's YouthBuild will offer a much-neededpositive career path."

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