CLEVELAND — A group of teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio will get paid to renovate four homes this summer.
The initiative, now in its fourth year, is a partnership between the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio and Youth Opportunities Unlimited. It all part of the Building Great Futures, a program that trains teens in construction trades.
Last week, a group of 15 teens trained at Associated Builders and Contractors in Broadview Heights, where they learned how to hang drywall and other basic home repair projects.
The teens participating in the program will be paid to renovate homes in Cleveland. One of the homes is located in the city’s Buckeye-Woodland neighborhood.
Cleveland Councilwoman Marion Anita Gardner, of Ward 4, whose district is where one of the homes will be renovated, said the summer-long project is saving a home that would become a vacant lot.
“Some of these houses are abandoned for the smallest reason and now I see, I see an end to that. I really do. I’m so proud of these kids,” said Gardner.
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This story is part of A Better Land, an ongoing series that investigates Northeast Ohio's deep-seated systemic problems. Additionally, it puts a spotlight on the community heroes fighting for positive change in Cleveland and throughout the region. If you have an idea for A Better Land story, tell us here.
