PRYCE, DEWINE, TIBERI APPLAUD CENTRAL OHIO ORGANIZATIONS FOR YOUTHBUILD GRANTS

January 24, 2006

$1.8 Million In Grants From The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

U.S. Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH), and U.S. Representatives Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) and Patrick Tiberi ( R-Delaware County) today applaud three Central Ohio community organizations for receiving $1.8 million in grants from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) YouthBuild Program. The YouthBuild program enables young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 to complete their high school education and achieve on-the-job training in construction skills. Students build or renovate single family homes and multi-family apartments which are sold at affordable prices, to low- and very low-income persons as well as homeless individuals and families.

“YouthBuild is an inspiring program that dramatically improves the lives of young people by channeling their energies into serving others,” said Senator DeWine. “The program’s emphasis on education, job skills, and community service works to better the lives of thousands of teens each year. I have met many of the hopeful young people this program supports, and I have seen first-hand that the program works.”

"I am thrilled with this significant investment in the affordable housing and education needs of central Ohio. The Youthbuild program is among HUD's finest, and it will help instill values like leadership, community service and a strong work ethic in many at-risk area teenagers in our area," said Representative Pryce.

“There is no better example of a win-win program," said Representative Tiberi. "Not only are we helping young people complete their education and learn a skill, we're also helping meet the need for affordable housing in Central Ohio."

Three area organizations won competitive grants from HUD for fiscal year 2006 including:

Buckeye Community Hope Foundation -- $700,000
Future Community Builders -- $400,000
Youth Over Us, Inc. -- $700,000

Founded in 1990, YouthBuild USA is a national nonprofit organization that works to unleash the positive energy of low-income young people to rebuild their communities and their lives. It supports an expanding nationwide network of more than 200 local YouthBuild programs. Strong emphasis is placed on leadership development, community service, and the creation of a positive mini-community of adults and youth committed to success. In total, 11 Ohio organizations received $5.8 million in YouthBuild program funding.