YouthBuild Dana Street Ribbon Cutting scaled

YouthBuild Rehabilitates Dracut Home, Restores Neighborhood

YouthBuild Dana Street Ribbon Cutting scaledCommunity Teamwork’s YouthBuild staff and students hosted a ribbon-cutting Thursday, November 14th, 2013 to showcase their newly rehabilitated home at 32 Dana Court in Dracut.

In rehabbing the home, students worked alongside licensed professionals in various construction trades, gaining valuable experience and work credits toward their graduation. Below, from left are YouthBuild’s Charlie Liebermann, YouthBuild Program Director Thula Sibanda, Community Teamwork’s Executive Director Karen Frederick, YouthBuild student Jose Gomez and YouthBuild Construction Supervisor Joe Braga.

Thula Sibanda, YouthBuild Director, noted that, “The students took pride in restoring this home that had been abandoned and neglected, causing blight on the entire neighborhood. They also fully appreciated that they were creating an “affordable” home for a family of more modest means.

Executive Director Karen Frederick praised the YouthBuild students for the hard work they put into developing their work and leadership skills, noting that a number of them also went on to earn their GED high equivalency diploma.

Retiring Dracut Town Manager and Community Teamwork Board Member Dennis Piendak remarked how the rehabilitation had “restored the entire neighborhood” and that he was “pleased to be part of the ribbon cutting as one of my last official duties.”