Leaders of Saginaw’s second-year Youth Development Corp. are aiming to establish their own community imprint. Their initial big signal is a home being built near Burt and Fourteenth streets, with construction pros guiding voc-ed students in the project.
But to help residents understand what’s happening with YDC, housed in a former downtown auto parts store across from the local Social Security office, some comparisons are in order.
First, the mission of serving residents who dropped out or fell short in traditional schools is similar to the former OIC, which dissolved two decades ago.
Second, the home-build is somewhat akin to the former Blitzes conducted by Saginaw Habitat for Humanity, which now is combined with Shiawassee with a transitioned focus on repairing houses and operating the ReStore with recycled household goods, appliances and furniture.
If plans work out, Director Eric Eggleston and his volunteer board aim to eventually expand to as many as 14 new houses near Fourteenth Street. A most modest short-term goal is for five.
Saginaw-based trade unions and Home Depot are teaming with 14 students (there’s that number again) to wrap up the initial 1,250-square-foot home later this spring, with an application process for potential first-time buyers still in the works. Financing features include zero down and no closing costs, along with conversion of Section 8 rental vouchers for home-buyer assistance.
Modern amenities will include solar heating panels and charge outlets for electric vehicles.
‘For real,’ director pledges
“We’re here and we’re not playing. We are getting it done,” says Eggleston, who prefers concise explanations of projects that are anything but simple.
He adds, “We’re changing the whole community,” referring to what many residents would consider to be the Pat and Mike’s Pharmacy neighborhood, a few blocks east of the Janes Street Clinic (Academic Health Center) and the New Life Baptist Ministries’ Mission in the City neighborhood revitalization effort.
In that spirit, plans call for forming a neighborhood association among the new homeowners.
Skyrocketing lumber prices are an increasing challenge, but YDC intends to press ahead.
Eggleston got the ball rolling during the past decade when he volunteered to assist U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee with a series of community forums. In the process, his research led to a Department of Labor startup grant for $1.5 million. Next, state Rep. Amos O’Neal helped to attain an added $500,000, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer presented last fall.
Teamwork was reflected among the local leaders who welcomed Whitmer, including Kildee aide Jake Bennett, Mayor Brenda Moore, Police Chief Robert Ruth, Sheriff William Federspiel, City Councilman Reggie Williams and Saginaw Future’s Delena Spates Allen (former city school board trustee), joined by the NAACP’s Carl Williams (former councilman and state rep) and the Mexican American Council’s Bobby Deleon, along with labor union leaders representing skilled trades.
City Councilman Michael Balls, now mayor pro-tem, often speaks of a need for mentors, such as his longtime role with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He is a Youth Development board member. Another attendee was Gary Loster, Saginaw’s turn-of-the-millennium mayor and now YDC’s board chairman.
Loster formerly served on the OIC board, and he explains a key difference.
“The OIC would train students in the skills to meet the job requirements, but the connections were not always in place,” he says. “Here at YDC, we work directly with the employers and with the apprenticeship programs.”
Sixty so far
Eggleston again chooses few words to describe the hardships faced by many students. He simply states, “From when we started, two of our students have been murdered and four others have been shot.” So far in Saginaw, even with those tragedies, 60 applicants have signed up.
A cornerstone is not simply the classes offered, but “wraparound” support services such as child care, counseling and transportation. Expungement of minor criminal records also is available. An added incentive is that enrollees receive $11 an hour for their classroom time, with potential to gain up to 47 Delta College class credit hours, the equivalent of three full time semesters.
The former auto parts store on South Weadock is remodeled into sections for hands-on work experience. An “E’ is a failing grade in school, but the five “E’s” at Saginaw’s YDC are equity, education, experience, employment and empowerment. Eggleston says, “We try to place them in a situation where they do not land in harm’s way.”
For information, visit Youth Development Corp.’s Facebook page or the website, ydcusa.com. The phone number is (989) 401-1166.
