May 19, 2010
OF FIRST HOME RENOVATED BY MONTGOMERY COUNTY YOUTHBUILD PROGRAM
Students and staff of St. Gabriel's Hall, Audubon, Montgomery County, will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a five-month house demo and renovation project that will provide new housing for a family in need. St. Gabriel's Hall is a residence facility of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia providing education, training and community-based services for court adjudicated delinquent youth between the ages of 10 and 19 years old under the continuing inspirational influence of the De LaSalle Christian Brothers.
The students from St. Gabriel's will be joined at the celebration by participating students of Montgomery County's YouthBuild program, along with St. Gabriel's Hall staff and county representatives.
10:00 a.m.
(Tours available following ceremony)
404 West Jefferson Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
For the last five months, over 30 young men from St. Gabriel's Hall have worked and trained under professional construction contractors to demo and rehab the house on Jefferson Street. Upon completion in June, the house will be given to a qualifying family by Genesis Housing. Although YouthBuild - a federally funded program - has existed since 1978, this house represents the first work of YouthBuild in Montgomery County. Focused on disadvantaged youth, the YouthBuild program seeks to engage youth in education through a combination of intensive academic preparation, construction instruction, and hands-on experience.
According to John Mulroney, principal of St. Gabriel's Hall, when the project is finished, each of the St. Gabriel's Hall students who worked on the house will receive OSHA 18 Construction Worksite Safety Certification and resume material which will help them in their applications to trade schools, if desired.
Other career-oriented programs offered at St. Gabriel's include culinary arts, Microsoft Systems and landscaping.
St. Gabriel's Hall opened in 1898 and serves youth from Philadelphia, Montgomery, and surrounding counties.
Contact
Kevin Mulligan
Associate Director for Communications
215-587-3747