A local non-profit group was awarded over half a million dollars in grant funds from the state.
The Gateway Community Development District will receive $700,000 as part of an education and training grant applied for by the late Betty Reed, former director.
Gateway Coporation was among those announced by U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith to receive a total of almost $2.7 million to support three YouthBuild education and training programs in the Mississippi Delta.
Hyde-Smith, who has advocated for YouthBuild funding as part of her work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said three U.S. Department of Labor grants are going to programs in Greenville, Clarksdale and Yazoo City.
“The YouthBuild program has a positive impact on Mississippi by offering youth opportunities to advance their education and gain valuable workplace skills,” Hyde-Smith said. “I’m pleased the Labor Department has approved these resources to continue offering opportunities to more youth in the Mississippi Delta.”
Overall, $2,699,228 in grants have been awarded to: Mississippi Action for Community Education, Inc., Greenville ($1,098,000); Mississippi Delta Council for Farm Worker Opportunities, Inc. Clarksdale ($901,228); and Gateway Community Development Corp., Yazoo City ($700,000).
YouthBuild is a community-based, pre-apprenticeship program that helps at-risk youth, ages 16-24, complete high school or state equivalency degree programs and earn industry-recognized credentials for in-demand occupations in construction and other industries. Programs also involve home building skills focused on providing housing for low-income or homeless individuals and families.
Hyde-Smith serves on the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over YouthBuild and other federal job-training programs. As part of the appropriations process last year, Hyde-Smith supported funding for the program and sought information on ensuring its benefits for rural communities.
