Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As you drive down Zenner Street in Buffalo off Bailey Avenue, you'll notice a home nearing completion of a full makeover and renovation. The work is being completed as part of the YouthBuild Buffalo program, an arm of the Service Collaborative of WNY.
Projects like the Zenner Street home will continue to become a reality following a $1.5 million grant awarded the collaborative via the U.S. Department of Labor.
"YouthBuild is a pre-apprenticeship program which supports career pathways for young people," said Rep. Brian Higgins, who was on hand for the announcement. "This grant will ensure Western New Yorkers are able to finish their education and receive the training necessary to grow skills which open up access to quality jobs."
Construction on the Zenner Street home is 90 percent complete and a family is expected to move in to the address in June.
YouthBuild will move on to a home on Westminster in Buffalo following completion of the Zenner Street project.
Service Collaborative Executive Director Kate Sarata says the impact of the grant is significant. "Over three years it will allow us to engage 86 young people in full time active programming to secure academic and workforce training."
During the program, program participants split their time bewteen the vocational training site and the classroom, working toward earning their high school diploma.
