Training sessions to be held concurrently with NCLR’s Texas Affiliate Network meeting featuring NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía

Austin, TX – November 15-16, American YouthWorks, an organization that has helped transform young people into self-sufficient adults through education, job training, and community service for 30 years, will host a training session for several Latino community-based organizations (CBOs), including NCLR Affiliates Erie Neighborhood House of Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles Leadership Academy of California; Spanish American Civic Association of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Siete del Norte of Embudo, New Mexico; and Unity Council of Oakland, California. These sessions will showcase the work of American YouthWorks through Casa Verde Builders (CVB). The CVB is a model AmeriCorps/HUD YouthBuild community service program for 17- to 26-year-old out-of-school youth.

In 2006, American YouthWorks received the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award for its community service program through the CVB. Since 1993, CVB has built more than 90 single-family, energy-efficient houses in East Austin, providing smart, quality-built homes for families.

The training sessions will be held concurrently with the NCLR Texas Affiliate Network (TAN) meeting, which culminates in a reception featuring NCLR President and CEO Janet Murguía. All members of the media interested in attending the session, please contact Sharon Yarbrough at (512) 236-6124 or syarbrough@americanyouthworks.org. Those interested in scheduling an interview with Janet Murguía, please contact Diana Tejada at (202) 785-1670 or dtejada@nclr.org.

MEDIA ADVISORY

About American YouthWorks: AYW is an empowerment organization that for more than 30 years has helped transform young people into self-sufficient adults through education, job training, and community service. American YouthWorks serves more than 1,000 at-risk individuals each year through a host of human services to address the whole needs of the individual and the family. AYC offers health care through the RGK Downtown Youth Center for Health, counseling, career placement services, and college preparation, based on the individual needs of each student.

About Casa Verde Builders: CVB is a model AmeriCorps/ HUD YouthBuild community service program. Members, 50% of whom are Latino, acquire construction skills by building innovative, affordable housing in low-income neighborhoods for sale to first-time homebuyers. CVB members work to improve their own neighborhoods while pursuing their high school diploma or GED. Since 1993, CVB has built more than 90 single-family, energy-efficient houses in East Austin, providing smart, quality-built homes for families.

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