NEWBURGH – Habitat for Humanity launched its Youth Build program, an initiative to allow young adults to earn their general education development degrees while learning construction skills.

They will do that by helping to rehabilitate housing in the City of Newburgh with $210,000 secured by Congressman Maurice Hinchey, who attended an event to kick off the program.

 “The quality work they are engaged in right now is construction work, working in the context of this building, upgrading the quality of the building, but also working on some of the buildings, which will be the homes of three families in the City of Newburgh,” he said, Monday.

Ten students have been recruited to enter the full-time, 40 week long training program. Best Resources, a workforce training support service, will provide GED tutelage, testing, live skills classes and individualized case management.

Laborers Local 17 will provide the construction supervision and training.