Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Veteran Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Juvenile justice cadets build home for Cameron County veteran
Summary
Cadets in a juvenile-justice vocational program built and are delivering a house to a Cameron County veteran, organizers said, citing funding from the Juvenile Justice Department and local partners that helped identify a veteran whose house burned or was in severe disrepair.
Cadets at the Juvenile Justice Department’s Amador Rodriguez Academic and Vocational Center built a house for a veteran in Cameron County, program organizers said, describing the project as both vocational training and community service.
Unidentified Speaker 2 announced the delivery, saying, "Today, a veteran is receiving more than just a house. They're receiving a home." Unidentified Speaker 3, who described an eight-year expansion of the program, said the initiative pairs hands-on building trades instruction with community partnerships to give justice-involved youth practical skills.
"So thankfully, through some funding from the Juvenile Justice Department and some really innovative partnerships, we're able to build homes for veterans," Unidentified Speaker 3 said, adding that the program secured an additional six years of funding after a recent application.
Organizers called the effort Cadets 4 Vets. Unidentified Speaker 4 described the partnership as involving the Amador Rodriguez Academic and Vocational Center and the Ladies Inspired for Excellence post-residential program, where residents work on small wood projects and then apply those skills in the site's construction area to assemble a home for a veteran.
Cameron County Veterans Services helped identify the beneficiary, Unidentified Speaker 3 said, noting the recipient's previous house had burned or was in such poor condition it needed demolition. The veteran, participating in remarks at the event, said he feared becoming homeless after the fire and thanked the community for the support, saying, "Today, I feel like America is helping me."
Program leaders framed the work as improving quality of life for veterans who do not qualify for certain VA assistance while also teaching construction and measurement skills to youth. The Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) was identified as the primary funding source for the initial rollout; organizers said the program won another multi-year award to continue the effort.
Unidentified Speaker 2 closed the event by recognizing the Cameron County Juvenile Justice Department "for the work they've done to transform young lives and create safer communities." The program leaders did not announce additional construction timelines or the veteran's name at the event.
