A southern Illinois children’s home is receiving more than a million dollars in federal funding to help at-risk youth.
The U-S Department of Labor grant is for United Methodist Children’s Home in Mt. Vernon. The money will help provide academic and occupational skills training for at-risk youth. The $1.1 Million grant is part of the YouthBuild program. YouthBuild assists out-of-school youth - between the ages of 16 and 24 - who have been in the juvenile justice system, are aging out of foster care, or have dropped out of high school to obtain their diplomas or GED’s while providing occupational training.
United Methodist Children’s Home spokesperson Sarah Usery says they plan to begin taking applications in late fall or early December. She says they plan to begin the YouthBuild program in January. Usery says the program will serve at-risk youth in Jefferson and Marion counties.
