VetsBuild program gets $45K grant from PSEG Foundation
The PSEG Foundation has awarded United Way of Long Island a $45,000 grant toward VetsBuild, a program which provides career training and employment opportunities for Long Island veterans and their families.
The grant will make possible a hands-on education in green construction for 25 veterans as they work to transform the United Way of Long Island headquarters in Deer Park into a net zero building that produces as much energy as it uses.
Upon completion of the project, United Way’s headquarters will serve as a community education hub for interactive learning on net zero energy systems and technologies. Tours will be available for local companies and nonprofits which are considering converting to net zero.
“PSEG is proud to be a long-time supporter of United Way of Long Island,” Calvin Ledford Jr., president of PSEG Foundation, said in a written statement. “We are always looking for ways to foster sustainability and economic empowerment in the communities we serve and the VetsBuild program is especially important to us to expand the workforce of professionals who design, build, and implement renewable energy in our region. By harnessing the talent of veterans and reducing barriers to skilled employment by culturally diverse, underserved people, we all reap the rewards.”
VetsBuild participants will also receive training at United Way’s E3 SmartBuild Training Center, where graduates will work toward earning industry recognized certifications in green building.
“Our thanks to PSEG for providing this important grant,” Theresa Regnante, president and CEO of United Way of Long Island, said in the statement. “The VetsBuild program will not only provide workforce development training to connect veterans with the confidence and skills needed to obtain employment, but will also help lower utility costs for United Way, allowing us to reinvest the savings into programs and services which will directly impact the needs of our Long Island neighbors.”
For more information on the VetsBuild program visit: www.unitedwayli.org/vetsbuild
