Kerry announces funding for program to help low income youth

[karynnj]

This is a national program that Kerry has fought for about two decades. In 2004, some of the people who had benefited in the past spoke of how that program changed their lives.

“YouthBuild saves lives, period. It rescues kids who could fall through the cracks and empowers them to become members of the workforce with a college degree,” said Sen. Kerry. “I couldn’t believe in this program more deeply or personally and I know this investment will pay real dividends. That’s why I will keep working to give YouthBuild everything that’s needed to keep saving lives and building great citizens.”

“This program is breaking new ground and giving students in YouthBuild programs across the country the tools they need to graduate from high school and be prepared for college,” said Dorothy Stoneman, founder and president of YouthBuild USA. “We are profoundly glad to be able to help support a pathway that gives low income young people the chance to receive college diplomas and go on to be successful.”

In 1992, Senator Kerry introduced a bill that made YouthBuild a national program, making it eligible for federal funding. YouthBuild partners with colleges to support at-risk youth, helping them apply, enroll, and complete two and four year college degrees. This partnership ensures that students have the financial resources they need to stay in school, the habits that will make them successful in the classroom, and the curricula that will teach them what they need to know to succeed when they graduate. Through the support of New Profit, YouthBuild will help an additional 480 students graduate from college.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/john-kerry/youthbuild-usa-to-receive-11-mil/10150153726655879

[babylonsister]

1. Rec'd! Thanks for always caring, Sen. Kerry, and for good news, karynnj. nt

[MasonJar]

2. John Kerry is a statesman. Too bad that he, like Al Gore before him, was

cheated out of being the President. Both would have been truly great presidents. Look what we got instead...as in someone who dare not travel to the EU and other parts unknown because of war crimes against humanity. Oh, and he wanted to travel there in the first place to amass a very, very large speaking fee. It doesn't speak very highly either of any organization which would pay W to speak.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

3. And the Puke house will fund this...when?

Just because its from Kerry they will block it at every turn.

I'm expecting two years of nothing. A lot of screaming and cursing, but nothing else getting done.

[karynnj]

4. I think he is announcing money that was already allocated last year

At least that is the way I read his announcement. There were many things included in the bill that extended the tax cuts and extended unemployment benefits. Given the timing of Kerry's announcement, it would seem that the national Youthbuild program could have received money and just allocated some to the MA site Kerry announced.

This is something that Kerry has quietly managed to get funding for since 1992. The first I ever heard of it was when one event Kerry had in Iowa in the primaries was with some of its alumni - although the event was completely overshadowed because the campaign received a call from a man who knew Kerry in 1968 or 1969 who wanted to help the campaign. The person who took the call immediately called the campaign and he flew to Iowa to surprise Kerry, who he hadn't seen since Kerry saved his life in Vietnam. That campaign event - had JK been a Republican - would have been played millions of times through the campaign - rather than trigger a character assassination by lesser people who knew that that event was dynamite that showed a strong, caring leader.

[karynnj]

5. Why would any Democrat, liberal or progressive, unreccomend this - it is completely uncontroversial

- except for Republicans and conservatives.

It has given breaks to kids who usually don't get them. (How many people here moaned that no one cares about the poor - especially when John Edwards dropped out? This is just such a program - it is real and has helped some for nearly 2 decades.

[YvonneCa]

6. Thanks, Senator Kerry! You, too, karynnj...

...for posting this. :hi:

[karynnj]

7. Hi

:hi: