Editorial: Federal funds help CTI’s skills program build on past success

Teen dropouts without employable skills or the desire to obtain them perpetuate a cycle of hopelessness and a dependency on social services.

Worse still, they could revert to a life of crime, thus ruining any chances of becoming productive and financially independent members of society.

Fortunately, in those economically challenging situations, nonprofit agencies can lend these aimless individuals a helping hand.

In Lowell and surrounding communities, Community Teamwork Inc.’s YouthBuild program was designed to fill that need.

But to ensure the viability of that initiative, nonprofits like CTI need public and private funding to sustain that mission.

In recognition of this program’s value, YouthBuild, with U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan in attendance, on Tuesday celebrated the awarding of $1.5 million in federal funds to support the organization’s pre-apprenticeship program for young adults.

The money, courtesy of the Department of Labor’s Office of Workforce Investment’s Division of Youth Services, will support the general funding for YouthBuild and its mission of helping at-risk young adults in Lowell develop employable skills.

The construction program, offered along with a culinary program, allows the young adults to earn certifications and gain practical experience, while also partnering with local organizations to provide food for the homeless and those without a reliable source of food.

Nicholas DiGiammo, Community Teamwork director of Youth Homeless Services, said the funding is “vital” for the continuation of their programs.

“It pays for a lot of the materials we use, cost of the site, staffing, and it helps us grow the team,” said DiGiammo. “It helps us serve more communities and more young people.”

YouthBuild, established at Community Teamwork in 1999, focuses on school dropouts now looking for a second chance to enter the workforce.

Carl Howell, Community Teamwork’s chief program officer and incoming CEO, said in a statement that the funding will benefit more than 120 young adults as they seek their diplomas and career certifications.

“Through tens of thousands of hours of service, these young people are actively improving the neighborhoods they call home. Their transformation is a powerful example of how investing in youth strengthens the future of our community,” said Howell.

Through YouthBuild, 168 students have passed their high school equivalency tests (HiSet) and completed more than 150 construction and culinary certifications in the last two years.

During that period, the students completed more than 26,000 hours in community service, cooked more than 23,000 meals for community members, and built a number of structures for the community, including softball dugouts in local parks and Habitat for Humanity homes.

By instilling young adults from lower income communities with a sense of self-worth and purpose, CTI’s YouthBuild program has more than demonstrated its worth.

The return on investment in successful programs like these ensures that any funding they procure is money well spent.

Twins Cities orchestra’s new name embraces Gateway City identity

In acknowledgement of its history and musical roots, a recent rebrand ensures a fresh start for a Fitchburg-based orchestra preparing for a Halloween-themed concert this weekend that will showcase its ensemble of talented artists.

The newly named Gateway City Orchestra will present a Halloween Spooktacular concert on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Fitchburg State University’s Weston Auditorium to kick off its season, the inaugural performance of the former North Worcester County Orchestra.

Gateway City Orchestra Executive Director Michael Hoffman and conductor Jared Bloch founded the North Worcester County Symphony Orchestra in 2021.

Hoffman, living in Lowell at the time, said the inspiration to rebrand the ensemble came from a newspaper article referring to it as a Gateway City.

“A Gateway City is a midsized urban center that anchors economies,” Hoffman told the newspaper. “They were cities that were once the mecca of manufacturing and offered those who lived there a good job and access to the American Dream. Over the many decades, manufacturing has faded and the lack of resources to rebuild economies makes the Gateway Cities slow to draw new investments.”

According to Mass.gov, there are now 26 Gateway Cities in the state, including Fitchburg, Leominster, and Lowell. Hoffman said that this year, under a partnership with FSU, it was decided that since the orchestra would be performing in Fitchburg (and Leominster), it would be named in honor of the Gateway City that’s become its new home.

Bloch said that over the years, they have had about 100 musicians perform with the orchestra.

“Our players come from all across New England, and some even from out of state. We keep a large roster available to us and different musicians perform based on availability for each individual concert.”

Bloch noted that the Oct. 5 Halloween-themed concert’s selections “combines some staples from the orchestral repertoire” along with several Halloween film scores.

At the advent of the Industrial Revolution, mill cities like Fitchburg, Leominster and Lowell embraced the arts, producing their own literary circles among other endeavors.

That legacy appears to have come full circle with the Gateway City Orchestra.