YouthBuild Boston’s 11th Annual Neighborhood Housewarming Event Helps Winterize 50 of Boston’s Most Vulnerable Households Bank of America, the City of Boston and others join together to help keep homes warm and minimize energy costs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chiara Wegener
Executive Assistant
cwegener@ybboston.org
617.445.8887 x32

Roxbury, MA, November 9, 2011 – Today, YouthBuild Boston (YBB) gathered over 200 volunteers for the 11th Annual Neighborhood Housewarming 2011, an effort to lower heating costs and provide a warmer, healthier winter season for some of Boston’s most vulnerable citizens. With the support of lead sponsor, Bank of America, and additional assistance from the City of Boston and several other partners and sponsors, YBB and volunteers helped weatherize and winterize the homes of # elderly and disabled, low-income Boston residents.

Volunteers gathered in the morning at Roxbury Community College to kick-off the event, and then divided into small teams that served residents in Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and Hyde Park. Today’s accomplishments include:

• 50+ households served
• 170  volunteers engaged
• 700+ windows insulated with insulating film
• installed 61 new windows in 4 homes
• installed 400 light bulbs in homes
• performed a comprehensive, energy-saving retrofit for 2 non-profit organizations

“I’m proud to say that YouthBuild Boston has been doing this project for eleven years now, reducing heating costs and providing a service to our neighbors,” said Ken Smith, YouthBuild Boston’s Executive Director. “Our young people are able to use their building trades skills to make a difference in the community, and to give back to their neighborhoods. Our partners for our Housewarming Event make this day possible, and with their support we are able to make a huge impact on our community. We are especially thankful to the City of Boston, the Shaw Foundation and Bank of America for their support.”

For the past 11 years, Bank of America has been the chief sponsor of the event, backing the project with financial support and hundreds of volunteers.

“Bank of America is proud to be able to partner with YouthBuild Boston and other supporters to help prepare some of Boston’s most vulnerable citizens for the physical and economic effects of the severe New England winter,” said Robert Gallery, Massachusetts Market President for Bank of America. “Given this year’s early winter and that many members of our community are already suffering from its harsh effects, our associates were especially excited to participate in this year’s Neighborhood Housewarming event and help our neighbors.”

Jeffrey Simon, Director of the Massachusetts Recovery and Reinvestment Office showed his support by coming out to one of the homes receiving new windows.

“YouthBuild Boston is an organization that gives young people skills, competence and confidence”, said Jeffrey Simon, Director of Massachusetts Recovery and Reinvestment Office. “It is one of the most rewarding organization’s we’ve been able to support with stimulus funds and is an important part of Governor Patrick’s commitment to combat youth violence in Massachusetts. Congratulations on the great work that YouthBuild Boston does on the Neighborhood Housewarming.”

Joanne Goldstein, MA Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, was not able to attend the event but send along her accolades to YouthBuild Boston.
"YouthBuild Boston's work with youth is engaging, practical and youth enjoy doing their jobs at YouthBuild Boston," said Joanne F. Goldstein. "It is critical to help youth develop a career ladder early. The staff at YouthBuild Boston get that and remain current and creative in their approach to working with this important demographic in our workforce,” she said.

In addition to Bank of America and the City of Boston, Diamond Windows has partnered with YBB for a number of years to provide windows at no cost to the elderly homeowners served. Because of the support from Diamond Windows, YBB is able to bring energy saving costs to these homeowners.

This collaborative service project also has brought together the following array of partners/sponsors: The Shaw Foundation, Roxbury Community College, Nuestra Comunidad, Laborers International Union of North America, Advantage Weatherization Incorporated, Urban Edge and the New England Regional Council of Carpenters, the Fuller Center for Housing and New Generation Energy.

Other Massachusetts YouthBuild programs and members of the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition showed their support for Neighborhood Housewarming. Programs from Fall River, New Bedford, Lowell, Quincy, and Cambridge were all represented at the event.

About YouthBuild Boston

YouthBuild Boston improves opportunities for underserved urban youth by teaching them academic and vocational skills to support themselves so they can bring about positive, lasting change in their communities. Programs focus on GED preparation and "green" practices in construction, architecture, design, and landscaping. Founded in 1990, YBB is now celebrating their 20th anniversary and a “Concrete Commitment” to serving local communities. For more information, please visit www.youthbuildboston.org.