$1 million grant for county YCC

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Updated: May 1, 2011 4:49AM

The Youth Conservation Corps in Waukegan has been awarded a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The nonprofit YCC, located at 221 N. Genesee St., provides life and work skills, environmental education, GED training and employment for youth engaged in conservation projects on new homes and public lands throughout Lake County. The agency will use the two-year grant to provide training to 62 young adults, ages 16-24.

YCC Executive Director Bob McCammon first learned of the grant from the Lake County News-Sun on Tuesday.

“It means sustainability for the next two years,” an elated McCammon said. “It’s a godsend to us.”

McCammon said he was especially relieved to receive the money in light of the “rhetoric coming out of the House of Representatives” that has threatened to kill all funding for YouthBuild and the Corporation for National Community Service - the YCC’s two major federal funders. He said the money will buy YCC time to search-out other funds in case those threats become reality.

The award was a portion of nearly $31 million to be shared among 31 YouthBuild programs around the country.

“YouthBuild is a triple win for the young people who participate in the program, the local communities that benefit from their efforts and our nation as a whole,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. “YouthBuild helps young people who might otherwise slip through the cracks gain the educational and occupational skills that are necessary for a successful future. At the same time, these youngsters make valuable contributions to their neighborhoods through community service projects and the construction or renovation of affordable housing.”

The Labor Department held a competition for applications in fall 2010. Grants announced Tuesday are drawn from fiscal year 2010 funds reserved for organizations that did not receive funding in the fiscal year 2009 YouthBuild competition. Additional grants will be made available through the fiscal year 2011 appropriation pending the availability of funds.

The Labor Department has administered YouthBuild since 2006, awarding its first grants in 2007. In that time, more than 13,000 young people have participated in programs in 44 states and the District of Columbia. YouthBuild participants include individuals who have been in the juvenile justice system, youth aging out of foster care, high school dropouts and others. In addition to receiving academic and occupational skills training, young people develop leadership skills and participate in community service opportunities.

YCC in Waukegan has a budget of about $1 million per year, according to McCammon, who said funding also comes from local contributions and foundational support.