Economic stimulus package benefits Twin Cities' lives and landscapes

To find Tree Trust at work in your community, just step out of the house. Take a walk in the park to see a crew of eight youth constructing a much-needed staircase. Visit your local library to see one of our job trainees stocking shelves. Take a ride in Minneapolis to see a crew building a house for a low-income family.

In 2009, we're employing and training over 1,400 young workers to make positive, lasting changes in their lives and in their communities. Compare that to the just over 800 participants we were able to serve in 2008. Not only are more young people receiving paychecks and learning how to be good workers, but also our parks and public spaces are getting safer, more accessible and more beautiful thanks to the impressive projects our job trainees complete.

We've been able to nearly double our impact thanks to new funding we received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Because of President Obama's stimulus package, both our Youth Conservation Corps and YouthBuild programs are making a big difference in the lives and landscapes of the Twin Cities.

This year, the stimulus package has more than doubled the level of federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding available to Minnesota's counties for youth employment training. In addition to Hennepin, Dakota, Washington and Scott Counties, which have long contracted with Tree Trust, Ramsey, Anoka and Carver Counties have also reached out to us to employ and train their resident youth through our Youth Conservation Corps program in 2009.

Similarly, the stimulus act has made additional dollars available through the Department of Labor to fund YouthBuild programs around the country. Tree Trust recently applied for and received a three-year, $700,000 grant to train and employ 40 young people, who will build and rehab houses for low-income families in Minneapolis while completing their high school education.

Our more than 30 years of experience providing employment training to young people and building quality projects in the Twin Cities have made it possible for us to expand our services so dramatically and rapidly. We're grateful for the opportunity to reach more people who need our help, and we look forward to the enjoying the benefits of the great new landscape and construction projects in our neighborhoods.