The Providence Plan’s YouthBuild organization recently opened up classrooms at its new headquarters in the Olneyville section of Providence. The classrooms were made possible by numerous donations, including a $250,000 grant from the Rhode Island Associated General Contractors’ (RIAGC’s) labor union. The grant was provided by the Industry Advancement Fund, which the RIAGC uses to support and encourage work force development in the construction industry.
YouthBuild Providence provides education programs to young adults ages 16 to 24 who qualify for construction apprenticeships while working towards their GEDs. The new classrooms, which are part of a $1.9 million renovation of an early 20th-century building, will allow YouthBuild to double the number of its students.
In addition, funding included $150,000 from a R.I. Housing Resources Commission grant; $100,000 in city of Providence Ward 15 bond funds; a $140,000 city of Providence Community Development Block Grant; a $15,000 Laborers’ Union grant; and a $10,000 Carpenters Union grant. •
