Newburgh On the Rise: Hinchey Highlights More Than 200 Summer Youth Jobs Created in Orange County Through Federal Economic Recovery Legislation

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Hinchey Highlights More Than 200 Summer Youth Jobs Created in Orange County Through Federal Economic Recovery Legislation

For Immediate Release

August 12, 2009
Hinchey Highlights More Than 200 Summer Youth Jobs Created in Orange County Through Federal Economic Recovery Legislation

Newburgh, NY--Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today visited the Best Resource Center in Newburgh to highlight how the federal economic recovery legislation that Congress approved earlier this year has provided grant funding for more than 200 summer jobs for youth (ages 14-24) in Orange County. Hinchey strongly advocated for and helped pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provided funding for the jobs. Hinchey was joined by Orange County Executive Ed Diana and Newburgh Mayor Nick Valentine, as well as coordinators and participants in the training and employment programs, to highlight the job programs in Newburgh and Orange County."These jobs provide very tangible proof that the economic recovery bill we passed in Washington earlier this year is having a positive impact in our communities and helping to improve the economy here in New York," Hinchey said. "These young men and women are being provided with valuable opportunities to work in their community, gain employment skills and training, and earn some money. Residents of Orange County, including the City of Newburgh, are also benefitting through the services that these youth are providing to enhance the quality of life for the community as a whole."Due to the additional funding made available through the ARRA, Orange County was able to place 213 additional young men and women in summer employment positions than it was able to last year. Last year, Orange County was able to place 319 youth for summer employment. This year, however, with economic recovery funds available, the county was able to increase the enrollment in the various programs to 532 individuals. The summer jobs are helping to provide local youth with positive experiences and contribute to the stabilization and improvement of the area's economy. The summer job participants are currently working for municipalities, school districts, non-profit agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, and police departments throughout Orange County.Hinchey was joined by participants of the "On the Rise" Youth Employment and Training Program, a collaboration of the Orange County, the City of Newburgh Human Services Department and the Best Resource Center. The Newburgh-based project hired 38 young men and women who were given opportunities to learn construction, filming, event planning and landscape architecture and work on a number of local community projects. This project was entirely funded through ARRA funding.Throughout this year and next, the economic recovery plan that Hinchey helped pass earlier this year is expected to create and save an estimated 3.5 million jobs, including 7,600 jobs in the congressional district Hinchey represents and 215,000 jobs across New York, through various investments that: modernize roads, bridges, schools and other infrastructure; improve education and health care; and advance the research and manufacturing of solar and other forms of renewable energy. The bill also provided 95 percent of working Americans with an immediate tax cut.Hinchey was joined by participants of the "On the Rise" Youth Employment and Training Program, a collaboration of the Orange County, the City of Newburgh Human Services Department and the Best Resource Center. The Newburgh-based project hired 38 young men and women who were given opportunities to learn construction, filming, event planning and landscape architecture and work on a number of local community projects. This project was entirely funded through ARRA funding.

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A Little Something About Newburgh On The Rise

The youth of Newburgh on the Rise will be graduating from their 12 week summer youth employment program on September 30TH, 2009. On July 13TH 2009 48 youth were given the opportunity to work paid jobs for 6 weeks under the Department of Human Service’s youth bureau for the City of Newburgh. 48 youth ages 19-24 were given hands on training, in construction, filming/ photography, event planning and Urban Landscaping, while also receiving professional development skills training from Best Resources. Throughout the 6 weeks the youth assisted in the greening of several city owned properties while working closely with The Department of Public Works, they built and designed their own gardens while in partnership with professional arborists, volunteers from the tree commission and staff at Downing park. The youth also engaged themselves in their own community project called The Block Building Movement, in which they dedicated 5 hand pieced raised tree boxes to the community with over 200 names of people who passed burnt into the wood. Each name was registered in person as the youth Ambassadors went door to door, than passed on the names to their peers who burnt in every name by hand. This successful 6 week program was celebrated and presented to the public on August 16TH where well over 100 people showed up to thank the youth for their efforts in the community and to watch a draft of their film describing the whole process. On August 24TH, 2009 because of the Newburgh On The Rise’s success 18 of the 48 youth ambassadors were extended for another 5 weeks by Orange County E.T.A. Over the past 5 weeks not only have the youth exceeded the expectations of community partners but they have also exceeded their own. In only 25 days with less then 20 Youth Ambassadors, Newburgh on The Rise has been able to assist in the metamorphic change towards a greener Newburgh. The first couple of weeks on the job the youth ambassadors started to tear down walls literally and figuratively as they teamed up with the City of Newburgh Police to renovate the old court house and police station, helping to build a stronger bond between the police and the community. Over the following weeks the youth finished the final editing of their 25 minute short film, built their own miniature raised bed gardens and maintained over 40 trees some of which they planted themselves. They also received training in Blogging, Urban Farming, Green Construction & Building, Permaculture, Horticulture, Culinary from the Culinary Institute and local restaurants all while still attending their professional development courses at Best Resources. All of their hard work will be celebrated at 4:00PM on September the 30TH at Newburgh’s Recreation Center. The Celebration will begin with a bus tour of all of their achievements around the City of Newburgh and will continue on at the recreation center, where their film and blog will be shown. Please come out and celebrate with our youth ambassadors and show them you care.