Earlier this month, Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz, D-35, and the Riverside County Office of Education announced a $1,080,000 grant to expand vocational training and provide affordable housing for low-income families in the Hemet and San Jacinto region.
Ruiz’s funding will expand programs to train underserved youth in construction while building housing for homeless and low-income families
At the end of January, the RCOE was awarded a grant from the Department of Labor’s YouthBuild program, which provides federal funding for education and training programs across the country with the mission of helping underserved young people complete high school and learn valuable career skills. The RCOE grant was one of only six awarded in the entire state of California and 77 nationwide.
Over the next three years, this grant will supplement the labor funds and allow RCOE to expand its YouthBuild program to support another 61 underserved young people between the ages of 16 and 24. YouthBuild provides on-the-job-training for young people in the construction industry by hiring them to work alongside experts to build affordable housing for low-income and homeless families.
“This grant is a win for so many members of our community. It’s a win for our local economy, a win for young people learning valuable job skills, and a win for low-income families in need of affordable housing,” said Ruiz. “I was honored to successfully help the Riverside County Office of Education secure this grant, and I will continue to fight for grant funding that empowers young people and boosts our local economy.”