Go Green Deals YCC YouthBuild Green Build Project

YCC YouthBuild Green Build Project

“The work you’ve done here is so impressive…It’s your core principle that I am impressed with, providing opportunities for amazing young people … giving folks a second and third and fourth chance, particularly low-income youth…Sometimes we overlook them, we think that they can’t be, they can’t do…And it’s places like YouthBuild that help you find yourselves and to be reborn in so many ways.” First Lady Michelle Obama

An Exerpt from Michelle Obama Promotes National Service, Visits With YouthBuild. (The Huffington Post, March 17, 2009).

Read below to see how a local YouthBuild program is also helping the environment!

Your request is being processed..Michelle Obama Promotes National Service, Visits With YouthBuild

YCC YouthBuild Green Build – a partnership with County of Lake, City of Waukegan, Wal-Mart and YouthBuild USA

Program Description

YouthBuild provides job training and educational opportunities for at-risk youth ages 16 to 24 years of age while constructing or rehabilitating affordable housing for low-income or homeless families in their own neighborhoods. Youth split their time between the construction site and the classroom, where they earn their GED or high school diploma, learn to be community leaders, and prepare for college and other postsecondary training opportunities. YouthBuild includes significant support systems, such as a mentoring, follow-up education, employment, personal counseling services, and participation in community service and civic engagement.

Green Build Project

Youth Conservation Corps acquired a HUD Home from the City of Waukegan in July, 2008. The HUD home has been in deconstruction, recycling all usable construction material. Over a ton of metal and aluminum was recycled from the building and we expect that the recycled lumber will provide approximately two-thirds of the lumber for our new green home. This home will be the first environmentally sustainable, single family green home, built as affordable housing in Waukegan.

The home will be built using as much recycled material as possible. It will also feature the following:

· Energy Star appliances

· Solar Water Heating

· Heat Recovery Ventilation System.

· The building will be incased in a ridged insulation to reduce energy use.

· Down spouts will divert storm water to the irrigation of a sustainable vegetable garden

· Decks will be made of recycled plastic and interior components such as drywall, hardwood floors, kitchen and bathroom flooring will be installed using recycled materials.

· Kitchen cabinets without formaldehyde construction will be used.

· The Chicago Botanical Garden and Green Town Waukegan Community Garden Group will assist in providing training for the future home owners in maintaining a sustainable garden.

The home will be a 3 bedroom 2 bath single, family dwelling. YCC will be working with the Affordable Housing Corporation of Lake County to provide homebuyer education and counseling, and help potential buyers access mortgage assistance programs and other beneficial financing opportunities. The beneficiary of this project will be a low to moderate income family that earns less than 80% of area median income.

We expect that the University of Wisconsin and Virginia will study the planning, construction and placement of the low income family.

Please consider supporting our efforts with cash or in-kind donation.

For more information or to make a donation, please contact:

Bob McCammon
Executive Director