This past year we engaged 432 citizens who volunteered 1,454 hours with our Community Forestry program. These volunteers distributed 1,453 reduced-cost trees to homeowners, and planted 464 trees and 402 shrubs throughout the Twin Cities. An additional 21 ,volunteers provided 99 hours of administrative assistance.
Our Learning with Trees program involved 2,119 students in the creation of outdoor classrooms on the grounds of three Twin Cities elementary schools.
Our Community Support Program matched 816 parents with employment experiences at 169 host sites throughout the metro. 97% of participants who earned wages while participating reported they gained positive work experience and would recommend the program to others.
466 youth received individualized case management services and support through our Youth Development Services program; of these youth, 143 were also placed in internships. 82% of participants who exited the program in 2010 reported they have more confidence in their ability to find and keep a job as a result of being in the program.
Our summer Youth Conservation Corps program employed 889 youth who worked more than 90,000 hours and earned more than $700,000. 94% of participants who responded to surveys reported learning important skills that will help in future jobs.
87 youth completed community improvement projects while participating in our Young Adult Conservation Corps paid job training program. 92% who responded to exit surveys said their future employment opportunities were expanded; 84% said we helped them reach their employment goals.
Our YouthBuild program provided 37 young adults with paid job training and academic enrichment while they rehabbed three Minneapolis homes that will be sold to low-income first-time homebuyers. 100% of exited participants completed OSHA-10 safety training; 94% earned a high school diploma or GED, or returned to school to earn a diploma or GED.
Despite the struggling economy, Landscape Services, our earned-income venture, increased revenue from private sources significantly in 2010, proving to be a sustainable source of income to help to support our programs.
