Washington, DC – Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator for Colorado, joined over 100 Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) members today to help them prepare for new jobs in natural resource restoration and energy efficiency, many which were created through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. While participating in team building exercises with the youth, Bennet announced that MHYC will receive an additional $698,828 from a Department of Labor YouthBuild grant, also funded by ARRA, to continue to train young people in Colorado.
Bennet highlighted MHYC’s work in providing youth and young adults with the life skills and job training they need to succeed in today’s economy, and pointed to how Recovery Act funding is helping boost these efforts to put Coloradans to work at a time when they need jobs most.
“Mile High Youth Corps does a great job making sure these kids are ready to work, and the Recovery Act is helping create new opportunities so they can look forward to a bright future,” Bennet said. “This grant will help Mile High Youth Corps continue to do what they do best with all the resources they need.”
MYHC is sharing in $832,831 in ARRA funds provided through the Corporation for National and Community Service. This funding supports the Colorado Youth Corps Leadership & Conservation Program which is a partnership among five youth corps across Colorado: Colorado Legends and Legacies in Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps in Steamboat Springs, Southwest Conservation Corps in Durango and Salida, Western Colorado Conservation Corps in Grand Junction and Mile High Youth Corps in Denver. This funding is expected to create an estimated 241 new jobs and provide 110,000 hours of service to communities across Colorado.
YouthBuild Grants are used to help disadvantaged youth achieve self-sufficiency in high-demand jobs and postsecondary education as well as to provide opportunities for work and community service.