Stories - YouthBuild
United Way of Long Island’s newest U.S. Department of Energy Award-Winning home was sold to income eligible homebuyer, Ulysess, age 30.
Ulysess had been part of the United Way of Long Island family for nine years, where he first participated in YouthBuild, earning essential vocational skills in the building trades. Immediately following graduation, United Way connected Ulysses to Opportunities Long Island and union construction. Ulysses has been employed by Local 580 ever since.
Throughout his career, Ulysses worked on Hudson Yards, one of the most expensive real estate developments…
Nancy, a single mom, unemployed, and high school dropout found United Way of Long Island’s YouthBuild program at a critical point in her life. Before YouthBuild, Nancy felt discouraged with limited English proficiency and educational trajectory. That’s when a friend referred her to YouthBuild.
She dreamed about a career path in cosmetology, allowing Nancy to express her creativity while making other people feel more beautiful and self-confident. YouthBuild helped Nancy trust in her abilities and navigate barriers to achieving her goals. When Nancy realized her potential, she became more…
Femi never dreamed he would have a meaningful career in a labor union, but quality in-classroom and hands-on training through United Way’s YouthBuild Long Island program led to a five-year IBEW Local 25 Apprenticeship where he powered to the top of his class.
Femi, was raised by a hardworking single mother. Despite facing challenges, at age 18, he discovered YouthBuild, a life-changing program that helped him overcome obstacles and chart a new course toward success.
He consistently went above and beyond as a YouthBuild student. A leader among his peers, he influenced, motivated, and…
Tahjaray
Patricia Michels Memorial Scholarship RecipientYouthBuild Graduate
Tahjaray is no stranger to challenges or adversities. She has faced several in her lifetime but always came out stronger than she was before. She moved from Virginia to New York to provide a better life for herself and her son.
The search for an improved quality of life led her to YouthBuild Long Island. Her goal was to gain her TASC high school equivalency diploma because, without it, college was not possible and her job prospects were few.
The YouthBuild curriculum and activities brought out the best in…
La’Kasha
Patricia Michels Memorial Scholarship Recipient
YouthBuild Graduate
La’Kasha is a career-focused, compassionate, patient and adaptable young woman. She entered YouthBuild Long Island to improve her education qualifications and career training. Currently, she has secured her TASC high school equivalency diploma and plans on attending college for a nursing degree.
The road has not been easy for La’Kasha; pursuing higher education means navigating through a tight schedule at home, caring for her children, in order to complete the required training hours. She is relentless in her…
Josh YouthBuild AlumniCollege GraduateB.S. in Business Management
Josh knows not to take anything he has in life for granted. He grew up in the foster care system with his twin and older brothers, and was eventually adopted into an already large family. He remembers with a smile, “The house was almost never quiet, with a lot of people always going in and out.”
While he did not know his father, Josh was in a supportive family environment. He developed a tight knit relationship with both his biological and adoptive mothers, as well as his uncle who he looked up to as a father figure. He…
David, YouthBuild GraduateCurrent Occupation: Structural Mechanic
David, a recent graduate of YouthBuild Long Island, knows the struggle of trying to escape a cycle of poor decisions. He remembers being unsure of his future, not sure where to turn and feeling deeply depressed with his purpose in life. He remembers thinking, “I need to get help, and if I don’t get help now, it’s going to be too late.”
Growing up with a single mother and two siblings, David recalls trying to take on adult responsibilities as a child in order to compensate for his absentee father. However, this led to poor…
When Blair found YouthBuild Long Island, he was struggling to find a place for himself. At the age of 25, he had been volunteering with local organizations, trying to give back to his hometown of Uniondale, but wanted to do more. “I didn’t really know where I wanted to go in life,” he remembers. “Everything I was doing wasn’t totally fulfilling, I wanted to reach out and help people… that was my passion.”
When his father told him about YouthBuild, he recognized the rare opportunity that had been presented to him – the chance to change his life and be in a position to help others. It was…
As a young man, Corey fell into the wrong crowd and got into trouble. What started out as minor transgressions developed into criminal behavior that led him to incarceration before he graduated high school. He was released and completed high school, but his attitude led him down a dangerous path. After learning about United Way’s YouthBuild Long Island from his aunt, Corey realized he was presented with an opportunity to turn his life around.
“Being in YouthBuild allowed me to move beyond the narrow space that I grew up in. YouthBuild taught me so much - everything from academics to…
YouthBuild student Jasmine was part of a class-wide exercise focusing on responsibility and accountability. She was elected as leader of the group, and was given the responsibility to give assignments and tasks to her team to complete the given goal. They were given 13 tasks to complete in just 90 minutes at Tanger Outlets in Deer Park. The group had to send each completed task to the group leader, who had to relay the accomplishment to YouthBuild staff. At the conclusion of the scavenger hunt, all of the students had to return to class together, as a cohesive team, and give a presentation…