The City of Evanston Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department recently received a $90,000 Youth Corps Grant through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The funds were used to hire 30 youth employees between the ages of 16-19 with skills that could be used in recreation/ conservation programs.
The IDNR grant was awarded at the end of July 2011 and the youth were hired within a week. The 30 youth benefiting from the program worked full-time until the end of August and gained valuable skills that will help prepare them for future employment and their continued education. They worked at the City of Evanston’s Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center and Robert Crown Community Center and Ice Complex, as well as for the Special Recreation Division, which provides programs for people with special needs.