Casa Verde Builders | American Youthworks

$100,000 granted to American YouthWorks to rebuild Bastrop State Park

On January 4, 2012, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, Environmental Corps, General News, Press Releases, By Rachel Matvy

On December 16, 2011, The Austin Community Foundation (ACF) announced it will grant $100,574 from the Central Texas Wildfire Fund (CTWF) to American YouthWorks (AYW) to aid in debris clean-up and economic recovery following the Central Texas wildfires. AYW’s grant was one of ten awarded since the creation of the CTWF on September 5, 2011, and will help fund AYW’s Environmental Corps (E-Corps) and Casa Verde Builders (CVB) service Corps programs while, under the direction of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), they work to fully re-open Bastrop State Park. AYW will clear hazardous debris, repair trails and boundary fences, rebuild damaged Park infrastructure, restore the native habitat and prevent invasive species from spreading, install protection measures to prevent erosion and recruit additional volunteers to work in the Park. According to TPWD, Bastrop State Park’s 170,000 annual visitors generate more than $2 million in revenue for Bastrop County each year.

The CTWF, which is administered by the ACF, and was created in response to the devastating wildfires that struck Central Texas over Labor Day weekend, 2011. The CTWF supports the immediate and long-term efforts of nonprofit organizations working “on the ground” in those areas hardest hit. The CTWF gives grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are helping individuals, families, businesses and the community recover, rebuild and return to the quality of life that existed before the fires began. Other grants from the CTWF include money for volunteer leadership, family support, rebuilding homes and restoring safety.

“Bastrop State Park is a vital economic and natural resource. The near destruction of one of Texas’ gems is devastating, but E-Corps and CVB members are honored that they can give back to their community by helping to rebuild it,” said Parc Smith, CEO of AYW.

Youth and young adult service Corps members have been providing relief to Central Texans affected by the fire since September of 2011. These volunteers are members of AmeriCorps or YouthBuild, which are both national, community service programs that are hosted locally by AYW. Participants include young adult volunteers from all over the country as well as students attending AYW’s charter high school. As part of previous recovery efforts, AYW worked with Bastrop County, FEMA, and local organizations and individuals to create the Volunteer Reception Center, which provided a central location for volunteers to get involved. They have also been working for several weeks in Bastrop State Park to help get the Park back to full operation.

In addition, to their experience in Bastrop, crews from AYW also assisted southeast Missourians following the devastating tornados earlier this year and in 2005 and 2006, they provided hurricane relief in New Orleans and East Texas. Service Corps members at AYW are gaining valuable skills that prepare them to step into leadership roles, handle difficult situations, operate safely and work hard while giving back to their community!

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About American Youth Works

AYW is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Austin, Texas that integrates at-risk youth and AmeriCorps members to provide education, service and green jobs training. AYW operates a public charter high school, the Service Learning Academy, a GED program and green jobs and service corps programs, Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps, and Green Energy Corps. AYW also offers on-site life services to help students overcome obstacles to their education, including a parent and child development center, academic coaching and counseling. For more than thirty years, AYW has assisted thousands of local, at-risk youth and adult graduates from around the country in transforming their lives and gaining job skills through community service, education and a commitment to preserving the natural environment.

About Environmental Corps

E-Corps is a green jobs training and service program that allows at-risk youth and adult volunteers to build and restore the natural environment through parks and trails projects, forestry, and habitat restoration. E-Corps integrates young adults from all over the United States with local youth to create a blended, transformative, cultural experience for all participants.

About Casa Verde Builders

CVB is a green jobs training and service program that teaches youth, ages 17-24, cutting-edge, green construction techniques. Participants build energy-efficient, affordable homes in East Austin for first time homebuyers and learn the construction process from foundation to finish. This award-winning program is proven to produce higher academic performance and consistent attendance for its participants and creates a foundation for youth to pursue quality higher education and job placement. In partnership with the US Department of Labor and YouthBuild USA, CVB is a nationally-recognized leader in combining green building with affordable housing.

Contact Rachel Matvy with questions, 512-744-1904.

Tagged with: ACF • American YouthWorks • at-risk youth • Austin Community Foundation • AYW • Bastrop • Casa Verde Builders • central texas • Central Texas Wildfire Fund • CTWF • CVB • donate • E-Corps • Environmental Corps • local events • Media Advisory • recovery • relief • service • volunteering • wild fire • wild fire recovery • wildfire • wildfire recovery

Bastrop Volunteer Reception Center to aid in wildfire recovery efforts

On September 28, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, Environmental Corps, Press Releases, Volunteering, By Rachel Matvy

Bastrop Volunteer Reception Center to Aid Volunteers, Organizations, and Homeowners in Wildfire Relief

For immediate release

American YouthWorks sends AmeriCorps members to Bastrop County to Aid in Wildfire Relief Efforts

September 28, 2011 — BASTROP, Texas – The Bastrop Calvary Baptist Church is serving as a Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) for those interested in providing assistance to the Bastrop County fire relief effort.

Local AmeriCorps members participating in American YouthWorks’ (AYW) Environmental Corps (E-Corps) and Casa Verde Builders (CVB), along with AmeriCorps members from Washington State, were called upon to establish the center that gives volunteers the opportunity to learn about, and sign up for volunteer opportunities throughout Bastrop County. Partnering with groups and organizations working to provide disaster assistance, the center provides the public a central location for getting involved. Upon registration, volunteers will be matched with opportunities based on interest and availability.

Individuals and groups interested in volunteering should call the VRC at (512) 332-2607 or visit 3001 Loop 150 E. Monday – Saturday between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Those interested can also register online at http://www.bastroprelief.org/volunteer.

In addition, homeowners in need of recovery assistance can stop in the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), located at 1602 Hill Street, Bastrop between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, to fill out a homeowner intake form and be provided with volunteer support through affiliated agencies.

Chelsea Bodamer, Outreach Coordinator for AYW’s E-Corps program said, “We are excited to be a part of the relief effort here in Bastrop. We are moved by the strength of the community and organizations of all different backgrounds coming together for a common goal.”

In order for Bastrop County to continue to provide the most comprehensive volunteer support services, Bastrop County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Fischer requests that all volunteer agencies register with the VRC. Volunteer hours, collectively, will help to offset the cost of recovery to the County and its residents. Agencies should call, visit, or send an e-mail to the VRC at bastropvrc@gmail.com.

For additional information please visit www.co.bastrop.tx.us/bcdisaster/ or www.bastroprelief.org or dial 211.

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About American Youth Works

AYW is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Austin, Texas that integrates at-risk youth and AmeriCorps members to provide education, service and green jobs training. AYW operates a public charter high school, the Service Learning Academy, a GED program and green jobs and service corps programs, Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps, and Green Energy Corps. AYW also offers on-site life services to help students overcome obstacles to their education, including a parent and child development center, academic coaching and counseling. For more than thirty years, AYW has assisted thousands of local, at-risk youth and adult graduates from around the country in transforming their lives and gaining job skills through community service, education and a commitment to preserving the natural environment.

About Environmental Corps

E-Corps is a green jobs training and service program that allows at-risk youth and adult graduates to build and restore the natural environment through parks and trails projects, forestry, and habitat restoration. It is a program of AmeriCorps that integrates young adults from all over the United States with local youth to create a blended, transformative, cultural experience for all participants. In the spring of 2011, Enviromental Corps members participated in disaster relief efforts in Joplin, Missouri and in 2005 and 2006 they provided Hurricane relief in both New Orleans and East Texas.

About Case Verde Builders

Casa Verde Builders, also a program of American YouthWorks, is a green jobs training service program teaching youth ages 17-24 cutting-edge, green construction techniques. Participants build energy-efficient, affordable homes in East Austin for first time homebuyers and learn the construction process from foundation to finish. This award-winning program is proven to produce higher academic performance and consistent attendance for its participants and creates a foundation for youth to pursue quality higher education and jobs placement. In partnership with the US Department of Labor and YouthBuild USA, CVB is a nationally-recognized leader in combining green building with affordable housing.

About Washington Conservation Corps

The Washington Conservation Corps is an AmeriCorps program based in Washington State. Washington Conservation Corps crews perform environmental work for a variety of partners throughout the state. Partners include the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Washington State Parks, county parks, nonprofits, and private landowners. Washington Conservation Corps has proven to be a vital resource for emergency response. WCC Crews have been deployed to fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados and oil spills throughout the country.

Tagged with: Bastrop • central texas • disaster • Media Advisory • recovery • relief • service • volunteering • wild fire • wild fire recovery • wildfire • wildfire recovery

American Institute of Architects designs new Casa Verde Builders houses

On September 12, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, Charter School, General News, Volunteering, By Rachel Matvy

Last Saturday American YouthWorks’ (AYW) students and Design Voice, a committee of the Austin chapter of the American Institute of Architects, formed a design charrette to generate new, innovative and beautiful floor plans for energy efficient homes. These new designs will be used by students in AYW’s Casa Verde Builders (CVB) program to construct homes for low income, first time homebuyers.

The CVB program is made up of students seeking their GED or high school diploma while developing job skills in green construction. Since 1995, students in the program have built almost 100 energy efficient, affordable homes. Currently, CVB has a limited number of floor plans and the new designs will assist CVB with building and offering more housing choices to the community and will challenge AYW students by providing opportunities to gain new construction skills.

Currently, our young people are involved in the construction process from the foundation to the roof, but do not participate in creating floor plans. The charrette was be a unique opportunity for AYW students to learn more about the design phase of construction and get exposure to potential career paths in architecture.

Design Voice is a committee of AIA Austin that enables the greater design community to connect and collaborate with organizations and individuals interested and engaged in housing advocacy, development and community building in Austin. We thank them for their service to AYW students!

Casa Verde Builders Home Featured in Cool House Tour

On May 17, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, General News, Special Events, By Rachel Matvy

The American YouthWorks’ (AYW) home, built by participants of Casa Verde Builders (CVB), at 6911 Villita Avenida, Austin, TX is one of 16 homes that is being featured in the 2011 Cool House Tour and is unique in that is was built by at-risk youth for low income, first time homebuyers. The Tour will take place on June 5 and is organized by the Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES) in conjunction with Austin Energy Green Building. We would like to thank the TXSES for selecting our CVB house and the proud owners who are opening their home to approximately 1,000 visitors that day.

Participants of the CVB program of AYW learn cutting-edge, green construction techniques by building energy efficient homes from foundation to finish while earning their high school diploma or GED and money for post-secondary education. This award-winning program is proven to produce higher academic performance and consistent attendance for its participants by removing barriers to education and providing hands-on applications for course material. Each participant earns a bi-weekly stipend, which helps many of our students students whose income supports a family, and graduates from AYW with job skills and nationally recognized certifications that give them an edge in finding employment.

“Coming from a rundown home with six children and a single mother, I never thought I would graduate from high school or step foot into a college. After constant work and studying for a year with AYW, I managed to obtain a GED and start attending college, becoming the first in my family to do so,” Elizar Espinoza, CVB participant.

In partnership with the US Department of Labor and YouthBuild USA, CVB is a nationally-recognized leader in combining education for youth with green building and affordable housing. Since the start of the program in 1994, over 1,000 participants have gone through the CVB program, building over 80 energy-efficient, affordable homes, similar to the one being featured in the Cool House Tour.

The TXSES Cool House Tour will feature homes that exemplify the benefits of a whole-house approach to design and construction: proper orientation, comfort, energy water and material efficiency, durability and low maintenance and healthy and safety. This tour is not only an educational opportunity for the community, but also is a fundraiser for the TXSES.

You can tour the homes from 10 am – 6 pm. Please make the CVB home at 6911 Villita Avenida a stop and to see how AYW is transforming the lives of at-risk youth through service to the community. Check the TXSES website for Tour guidebooks.

Trained workers don’t drain Texas

On May 12, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, General News, Green Energy Corps, By Rachel Matvy

HB 1432, Texas Sustainable Youth Program

YouthBuild USA, one of the major funders of our Casa Verde Builders, Green Energy Corps and Computer Corps programs, is working to develop future leaders by funding job skills programs across the country that encourage personal growth and academic advancement through building affordable housing, emphasize civic engagement and personal responsibility, provide opportunities to gain nationally recognized certifications and support alumni in achieving job or post-secondary education placement.

Texas State Representative Mark Strama, introduced HB 1432 into the 82nd Legislative Session. If passed, this bill would support the creation, operation and funding of a Texas Sustainable Youth Program (TSYP). The TSYP would be established in the Texas Workforce Commission as a workforce training and development program that would promote the economic self-sufficiency of youth and young veterans by providing those persons with opportunities to acquire job skills while performing community service activities, would create opportunities for communities to restore abandoned properties and historic areas, enhance public places, increase the availability of affordable, energy efficient housing for individuals and families of low income and would create training and employment opportunities for young veterans.

On April 14th, AYW program participants spoke in a public hearing about the life transforming benefits of the job skills, education and support services that they have received in AYW Corp programs. Many of our students face similar obstacles as the individuals who would be supported by a TSYP and wanted to share their stories with the people who could create change. The youth to benefit would be 16 to 24 years old, have not received a high school degree or equivalency or did not perform satisfactorily on eight grade level assessments, have dropped out of high school or are at risk of dropping out, are economically disadvantaged or a veteran under 24 years of age.

YouthBuild programs in Texas, including AYW, enroll about 105 participants a year and over the course of two years, constructed ten brand new homes and rehabbed 63 existing homes, all for low income Texans. The average cost per participant in Texas is $15,700 and the benefits are at-risk youth who become civically engaged, taxpaying citizens. HB 1432 would support more job training and life transforming services, like the services offered at AYW.

Power Hour

On April 8, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, General News, Special Events, By Rachel Matvy

CVB house to be featured in the Cool House Tour

On April 5, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, General News, Special Events, By Rachel Matvy

The American YouthWorks’ (AYW) home, built by participants of Casa Verde Builders (CVB), at 6911 Villita Avenida, Austin, TX is one of 16 homes that is being featured in the 2011 Cool House Tour and is unique in that is was built by at-risk youth for low income, first time homebuyers. The Tour will take place on June 5 and is organized by the Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES) in conjunction with Austin Energy Green Building. We would like to thank the TXSES for selecting our CVB house and the proud owners who are opening their home to approximately 1,000 visitors that day.

Participants of the CVB program of AYW learn cutting-edge, green construction techniques by building energy efficient homes from foundation to finish while earning their high school diploma or GED and money for post-secondary education. This award-winning program is proven to produce higher academic performance and consistent attendance for its participants by removing barriers to education and providing hands-on applications for course material. Each participant earns a bi-weekly stipend, which helps many of our students students whose income supports a family, and graduates from AYW with job skills and nationally recognized certifications that give them an edge in finding employment.

“Coming from a rundown home with six children and a single mother, I never thought I would graduate from high school or step foot into a college. After constant work and studying for a year with AYW, I managed to obtain a GED and start attending college, becoming the first in my family to do so,” Elizar Espinoza, CVB participant.

In partnership with the US Department of Labor and YouthBuild USA, CVB is a nationally-recognized leader in combining education for youth with green building and affordable housing. Since the start of the program in 1994, over 1,000 participants have gone through the CVB program, building over 80 energy-efficient, affordable homes, similar to the one being featured in the Cool House Tour.

The TXSES Cool House Tour will feature homes that exemplify the benefits of a whole-house approach to design and construction: proper orientation, comfort, energy water and material efficiency, durability and low maintenance and healthy and safety. This tour is not only an educational opportunity for the community, but also is a fundraiser for the TXSES.

You can tour the homes from 10 am – 6 pm. Please make the CVB home at 6911 Villita Avenida a stop and to see how AYW is transforming the lives of at-risk youth through service to the community. Check the TXSES website for Tour guidebooks. They can also be purchased for $15.

Americorps and YouthBuild funding cuts have impacts on service organizations

On March 8, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps, General News, Green Energy Corps, By Rachel Matvy

A Congressional vote to reduce the federal budget could threaten American YouthWorks as well as many other service oriented nonprofit organizations. The House of Representatives passed a bill that would eliminate funding for YouthBuild and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), both of which provide funding for AmeriCorps and thousands of grants to nonprofits that deliver essential community services. The bill is under consideration in the Senate.

American YouthWorks receives funding from both CNCS and YouthBuild for its Casa Verde Builders, Computer Corps, Environmental Corps and Green Energy Corps. These programs allow students and graduates to participate in community service, gain job skills and earn money for college while serving low income Austinites by building energy efficient homes, refurbishing computers and performing weatherization measures and by improving public lands through trail building and maintenance, habitat restoration for endangered species and invasive species removal.

Here are a few things that our students and Corps members have accomplished in 2010 alone:

Casa Verde Builders program participants built two houses, repaired eight homes and 33 participants graduated.
Computer Corps saved 59 computers from landfills by refurbishing them and donating them to nonprofits and low income Austin residents.
Environmental Corps completed the restoration and construction of 28 miles of trails, restored 337 acres of native habitat and performed $61,000 worth of in-kind work.
Green Energy Corps members made improvements to 200 homes for low income families; including weatherization, repairs and accessibility projects.

Please help us continue to serve our community.

Tagged with: careers • green jobs • service

Statewide power emergency causing rolling blackouts in Central Texas

On February 2, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, Green Energy Corps, By devintern

Cold weather triggered rolling blackouts across the state, By American-Statesman staff

Casa Verde Builders, 5 Star Energy Rated Home

Over a 10 month period, the owner of this 5-star rated energy-efficient Casa Verde Builders home received electric bills averaging an amazing $5.06. The program has been recognized as a national leader in affordable green building. We believe this is a testament to the vision and quality of the program and power of what young people can accomplish if given an opportunity, guidance, and support. For more info on What is a Green Built Home? Check out this presentation on Green Construction.

It’s lights out for the incandescent bulb in Calif.

On February 1, 2011, In American YouthWorks, Casa Verde Builders, Green Energy Corps, By devintern

Beginning Jan. 1, the state began phasing out certain energy-sucking bulbs, federal standards the rest of the country will enact next year. By Noaki Schwartz, Associated Press

YouthWorks’ Green Energy Corps’ participation in consumer education with A Nurtured World facilitates educating the general public about the importance of energy-efficiency and sustainability in the home. Additionally, volunteer efforts with 1House at a Time afford GEC the opportunity to help low-income residents reduce their energy bills and weatherize their homes by installing energy-efficient appliances, replacing older light bulbs with CFLs and sealing penetrations around A/C registers and around outlets.

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