YouthBuild, a ten-month construction skills training curriculum for men and women ages 17-24 who have not completed high school, teaches them carpentry skills by building homes for low-income families while working to earn their G.E.D. and receiving life skills training. A program in Brockton has been in operation since 1996 and is now expanding to Fall River where it will be housed on the third floor of the Veterans' Memorial Auditorium at 72 Bank Street. About seventy-five dignitaries, staff members and current YouthBuild members were on hand to dedicate the new facility on August 25, 2006. The program is a partnership of the Fall River Redevelopment Agency, the Bristol Workforce Investment Board and the Fall River Housing Authority. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which awarded the Fall River program $700,000 based on the Old Colony YMCA's success, was represented at the ceremony by Jim Barnes, Deputy Regional Director of HUD. For more information about the program, contact Director Terry Moran at 508-678-1975.
 

(Top row, left) Community Development Recreation Executive Director Grace Gerling welcomes the guests to the Veterans' Memorial Auditorium. (Top row, center) Advisory Committee Chairperson Debi Kenny introduces Mayor Edward M. Lambert, Jr., and members of the state legislative delegation including Representative Robert Correia, Representative David B.Sullivan, Representative Patricia A. Haddad as well as Adam Chapdelaine representing Senator Joan Menard and Janet Lebel representing Senator John Kerry. (Top row, right) Representative Correia, Mr. Chapdelaine, Representative Haddad and Mayor Lambert listen as Fall River Youth Build Director Terry Moran thanks them for their efforts on behalf of the program. (Middle row, left) Mr. Moran addresses the crowd, including Director of Residential Services Craig Barger and Robert Richards, Director of Community Re-entry for the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services. (Middle row, right) YouthBuild applicant Kimberly Dalton, a single mom, describes her dreams for her life as she joins YouthBuild. (Bottom row, left) YouthBuild staff members applaud the team spirit that has made the program so successful. (Bottom row, middle) YouthBuild applicants are applauded by the staff. (Bottom row, right) Mr. Moran welcomes guests to the newly-outfitted quarters on the third floor of the facility at 72 Bank Street.