The Illinois YouthBuild Coalition seeks to advocate for increased resources, programs, public and private involvement, and public recognition of the need for concerted efforts directed toward expanding employment opportunities for poor, disadvantaged and minority youth in Illinois.  It also seeks to assist and fund local communities to employ and train young people to serve their neighborhoods by building affordable housing for homeless and other low-income people

There are approximately 5.4 million unemployed young people who have dropped out of school in the United States; there are an estimated two million homeless people; there are uncounted government-owned properties crying out for rehabilitation and construction. We believe—and we have demonstrated—that part of the solution to all three of these tragedies lies in creatively putting them together, employing the young people to fix the buildings to solve the housing crisis, stemming the tide of homelessness.

 Illinois YouthBuild Coalition Membership Form