YouthBuild Lake County

??? We’re excited to announce that YouthBuild Lake County is participating in American Place Casino's inaugural ???????????? ???? ???????? event! This wonderful celebration highlights the work of six local nonprofits in Lake County, and we’re honored to showcase the tree designed by our participants! ?? Guests can vote for their favorite holiday tree until ???????????????? ????. The organization with the most votes will receive a $??,?????? ???????????????? to further their mission. ??? How to Vote: 1?? Visit American Place Casino. 2?? Print your voting ticket at the casino's rewards kiosks. 3?? Vote once a day to support YouthBuild Lake County! The winner will be revealed during a special ceremony on ???????????????? ??, ????????, ???????? ?????? ???? ??????. ?? Let’s rally together and make our tree a winner! Every vote helps us create more opportunities for youth in our community. ?? #SeasonOfHope #YouthBuildLakeCounty #YBLC #LakeCounty #SupportLocal #VoteForOurTree #AmericanPlaceCasino

?? Empowering Our Youth for a Clean Energy Future! YouthBuild Lake County is thrilled to announce that we’ve been chosen as one of only three YouthBuild programs in the U.S. to launch a new Solar Panel Installation Training & Certification Program! ??? This program, driven by YouthBuild Global, gives 10 of our local graduates hands-on training and employer recognized certification, positioning them for careers in the fast-growing solar industry! ?? With a focus on opportunity youth, we're preparing the next generation to tackle the green job skills gap right here in Lake County. ?? Why This Matters: 1. Creates new career pathways in clean energy ?? 2. Builds a strong, skilled workforce for Lake County ??? 3. Invests in the future of our community ?? A big thank you to UNIRAC, RBC Foundation USA and Bank of America Charitable Foundation for their support in making this vital program possible. Together, we’re building brighter futures! #GreenEnergy #Solar #YouthBuildStrong YouthBuild Global

Last night’s YBLC Fall Fest was a blast! ?? YBLC participants hosted a fall fest and celebrated with candy, pumpkin painting (and smashing!), games, a DJ, a costume contest, face painting, and so much more! Seeing all the families and kids in costume was a joy for everyone involved. ???? Events like Fall Fest are so important to our North Chicago community. This event, held in partnership with the City of North Chicago and Alderman Carl Evans, brought people together, created lasting memories, and gave families a safe, fun space to connect. Thank you to everyone who joined us—your energy and smiles make it all worth it! Special thanks to our generous community sponsors for supporting the event —Hank’s Taylors, Daniel Cahue Farmers Insurance, Adams Autobody, and Michigan Auto Services. We're grateful to have community partners like you who believe in our mission for a connected North Chicago! ???? #FallFest #Halloween2024 #NorthChicago

?? Celebrating Our Pre-Apprentice's Success! ?? Last night, we gathered to honor the incredible participants from YouthBuild’s Pre-Apprentice program. Surrounded by friends and family, they shared a well-deserved dinner and celebrated the hard work, dedication, and achievements they’ve accomplished over the past 10 weeks. Through this intense program, they’ve earned valuable credentials in the building and construction trades, setting themselves up for a bright future. Now, they are ready to take their next steps toward joining unions and working on construction sites, where they’ll continue to build on their success! We are so proud of all they’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see the impact they make in their communities. ?? #YouthBuild #PreApprentice #ConstructionTrades #BuildingFutures #Success

?? Meet YBLC's Newest Participants! ?? Last Friday, we proudly inducted 27 new participants into the YouthBuild Lake County family! Each one is excited to begin their journey toward a brighter future for themselves and their families. This ceremony was a bit different – held outdoors in a large circle, where our participants received their uniforms and PPE and read their personal declarations aloud. These declarations serve as reminders to themselves, our staff, and their peers why they are here and why they will succeed. ?? Welcome to the YB family, Fall 2024! We cannot wait to see what you accomplish throughout your program and beyond ?? #YouthBuildStrong #Welcome #ClassOf2024 #Education #philanthropy

??? Community Collaboration: Transforming Foss Park with Old National Bank As part of Mental Toughness, our new participants partnered with employees from Old National Bank to make a difference in our community at Foss Park today. Together, we: ??? Filled in paths to improve accessibility ?? Painted traffic barriers and buildings to revitalize the park ?? Re-mulched playgrounds for safer play areas ?? Cleaned the park to enhance our local environment We witnessed young adults not only participating but actively and eagerly giving back to their community alongside our corporate partners. This collaboration exemplifies the power of teamwork and the impact we can make when we come together. A huge thank you to Old National Bank for joining us in this effort and to all the participants for their hard work and dedication! Corporate partners like Old National Bank are essential in amplifying our impact and fostering stronger community bonds. Stay tuned for more updates as our Mental Toughness journey continues! #Philanthropy #Environment #ParkCleanup #CommunityService

?? Mental Toughness Begins Today! Today, we're thrilled to welcome 32 new participants to our program's Fall Mental Toughness! Today's activities included "Speed Conversations," which helped our participants become more comfortable with the staff and fellow recruits. They also took on the infamous Golf Ball Race, a challenge that tests group communication skills. The new cohort wrapped up their first day with "Cross The Line," an exercise that allows both staff and participants to share personal experiences and recognize commonalities, fostering trust and unity throughout the agency. This isn't just the start of a challenging two weeks for them—it's the beginning of a transformative journey toward personal growth, education, and empowerment. Throughout Mental Toughness, recruits will not only learn about our programs but also discover their own strengths and abilities. It's a chance for them to step out of their comfort zones, embrace challenges, and start transforming their futures. We're excited to support these dedicated individuals as they take this important step. Stay tuned for updates on their incredible journey throughout the next two weeks! #MentalToughness #YouthBuildLakeCounty #BuildingFutures #Empowerment #Education #PersonalGrowth YouthBuild USA

?? Building Stronger Communities with Grainger! ?? YouthBuild Lake County participants and staff were honored to join Grainger for our second Bucket Build, where we teamed up with Grainger and ToolBank USA to assemble over 4,000 disaster relief buckets. These buckets are a vital resource for those affected by disasters, providing essential supplies when they are needed most. We were especially thrilled to have John Valverde, CEO of YouthBuild USA, speak at the event and work hand in hand with our participants to build buckets himself. We’re incredibly proud of the impact this collaboration has on communities in need and grateful to Grainger for their continued support in making a difference. Service projects like this are more than just a chance to give back—they reflect our core belief in the power of partnerships. Working alongside corporate responsibility leaders like Grainger, and having leaders like John Valverde involved, allows us to strengthen community connections and empower our participants by giving them real-world opportunities to contribute to a cause greater than themselves. These collaborations not only provide essential aid but also foster leadership, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of social responsibility among our youth. That's why we do what we do! #YBLC #nonprofit #community #Grainger #YouthBuild #northchicago #service #teamgrainger #YouthBuildStrong

?? So Proud of Our Alumni That We Had To Share! Laquon started at YBLC in late 2022 hoping to learn a trade so that he could better provide for his daughter. During his program, Laquon learned theoretical skills in the classroom and put them into action on one of YBLC's affordable home renovations. Long time YouthBuild partner ReNew Communities, NFP, who has worked hand in hand with YBLC on multiple homes, saw Laquon's skills shine through his work and hired him after successfully completing his program. Today, Laquon is a Full Time Level 1 Carpenter - and based on this photo from ReNew, he is clearly loving it! Through the skills and trade he learned at YBLC, Laquon is not only building a better future for himself and his daughter: he is building a better community by continuing to build affordable homes even after his program's completion. ?? THAT is the power of YouthBuild! #Construction #AffordableHousing #CommunityBuilding #Philanthropy

???? YBLC Chosen to Pilot Certified Solar Panel Installer Program We're thrilled to announce that YBLC has been selected by YouthBuild USA as one of three pilot programs in the United States to launch a certified Solar Panel installer credential! Right now, our participants are building a mock roof as their future installation site. Over the next several weeks, they will install panels onto this roof, getting hands on training with this innovative technology ?? During the program participants will receive tailored training as they earn their certification to become a UNIRAC Certified Installer. Our Construction Superintendent, Kingston Neal, is currently undergoing specialized training which will enable him to train our participants for this innovative credential. Upon completing the test run, Kingston and the participants' insights will help shape the best practices for other YouthBuild programs worldwide to follow. This is not just a step forward for YBLC but a leap towards a sustainable future. Advanced certifications like this allow our participants to begin exciting new career pathways that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. And as the solar industry continues to rapidly grow, this is a perfect industry for them to join! Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to empower our young adults with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the green energy sector! ?? #YouthBuildLakeCounty #SolarPanelTechnician #GreenEnergy #Sustainability #EmpowerYouth