County receives $1.1 million through NY’s Youth Employment Program

Orange County’s Department of Social Services was recently awarded $1,183,275 in grant funding through New York State’s newly implemented Youth Employment Program (YEP), Executive Steve Neuhaus recently announced.

The DSS will transfer the funds to the county’s Office of Employment and Training for utilization.

“We are grateful for these funds which we will be invested in the youth of Orange County,” Neuhaus said. “The YEP program benefits young men and women by providing the skills and experience needed to become successful adults. We will continue to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our youth and we will take advantage of every opportunity to give them tools and resources to help them thrive.”

According to the county, the Youth Employment Program (YEP) is intended to help reduce community gun violence and youth criminal justice involvement by providing year-round employment opportunities. These funds will support the establishment of a program which includes employment, education, and/or career exploration opportunities for temporary assistance to needy families (TANF)-eligible youth from low-income households. This funding is further intended to support employment programs for youth at risk of gun violence as part of a statewide gun-violence reduction intervention model.

Eligible participants include those aged 14 to 20 who are:

- Family assistance recipients,

- Former recipients who have reached their 60-month limit on TANF and have transitioned to Safety Net Assistance, or

- Eligible under the TANF 200% of federal poverty guidelines.

The YEP will provide TANF-eligible youth from low-income households with employment and educational opportunities in conjunction with services provided through the traditional Summer Youth Employment Program.

“The Office of Employment and Training is proud to collaborate with the county executive and other departments to offer the YEP program,” said Steve Knob, the county’s director of Employment and Training. “This program will provide students with critical lifelong skills that they can utilize as they further their educations and pursue careers.”

For more information about the YEP Program, contact Karina Fabiano at Kfabiano@orangecountygov.com or 845-360-0325.