US Department of Labor awards nearly $50 million to provide training and employment services to formerly incarcerated juveniles and young adults

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Jun 21, 2012, 11:50 ET

WASHINGTON, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Labor today awarded nearly $50 million in two types of grants to 25 community-based organizations that will provide job training, education and support services to youth and young adults returning from the juvenile justice system.

"These young people deserve a chance to turn their lives around," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The federal grants announced today will help vulnerable youth receive the training and support they need to gain valuable job skills and improve their long-term employment prospects."

Four grants totaling approximately $19.5 million will serve formerly incarcerated youth, ages 14 and above, in high-poverty, high-crime communities who have been involved with the juvenile justice system within the past 12 months and never have been involved in the adult criminal system. Grantees will provide education and training leading to high school diplomas and/or industry-recognized credentials for the individuals served with an emphasis on in-demand industries and occupations available within their local communities. Additionally, grantees will be required to competitively select local subgrantees to operate the program in a minimum of five high-poverty, high-crime communities across at least two states.

The remaining 21 grants total nearly $30 million and will serve individuals ages 18-21 who were involved in the juvenile justice system from the age of 14 or older but were never convicted as adults under federal or state law. Through training projects, service learning opportunities and educational interventions, participants will earn high school diplomas and industry-recognized credentials.

All grants provide for up to four months of planning and a minimum of 26 months of operation. The Labor Department awarded the grants through a competitive process, open to national and regional intermediaries with experience conducting multisite projects and serving young adult offenders.

For more information on Department of Labor training programs, visit http://www.doleta.gov/RExO/aboutRExO.cfm.

Editor's note: A list of the grantees, their locations and award amounts follows this news release.

Grants serving formerly incarcerated juveniles in high-poverty, high-crime communities

Grantee	City	State	Amount
East Harlem Employment Service Inc.	New York	N.Y.	$4,960,732
National Urban League Inc.	New York	N.Y.	$5,000,000
Southwest Key Programs	Austin	Texas	$4,999,200
Spectrum Resources	Des Moines	Iowa	$4,511,773
Total			$19,471,705

Grants serving formerly incarcerated juveniles and young adults through training and service learning

Grantee	City	State	Amount
Central Wyoming College	Riverton	Wyo.	$1,273,846
City and County of Honolulu Department of Community Services	Honolulu	Hawaii	$1,500,000
City of Boston Economic Development and Industrial Corp.	Boston	Mass.	$1,500,000
CLC Inc.	Fort Worth	Texas	$1,500,000
College of Southern Maryland	La Plata	Md.	$1,500,000
Computer Mentors Group Inc.	Tampa	Fla.	$1,497,178
Fort Scott Community College Endowment Association	Fort Scott	Kan.	$1,500,000
Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission	Fresno	Calif.	$1,500,000
Goodwill Industries of Northern New England	Portland	Maine	$1,436,496
Goodwill Industries of Southern Arizona Inc.	Tucson	Ariz.	$1,241,790
Greater West Town Community Development Project	Chicago	Ill.	$1,500,000
Human Resource Development Foundation Inc.	Morgantown	W.Va.	$1,267,796
Little Dixie Community Action Agency Inc.	Hugo	Okla.	$1,440,000
Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board	Milwaukee	Wis.	$1,500,000
National Urban League Inc.	New York	N.Y.	$1,500,000
Peckham Inc.	Lansing	Mich.	$1,145,317
People For People Inc.	Philadelphia	Pa.	$1,499,989
RESOURCE Inc.	Minneapolis	Minn.	$1,495,686
Siouxland Human Investment Partnership	Sioux City	Iowa	$1,499,996
Total Action Against Poverty in the Roanoke Valley	Roanoke	Va.	$1,241,790
YouthBuild Newark Inc.	Newark	N.J.	$1,440,000
Total			$29,979,884

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SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor