White Plains, NY - County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced that the county has received a $1.1 million grant from the New York State Department of Labor to help local businesses provide summer jobs to about 400 youth ages 14 to 21.

The grant, part of the labor department’s Summer Job Express Pilot Program, goes to the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board and will pay the wages of participants, as well as costs associated with supervising the program.

“This is welcome news for Westchester, because these funds will provide valuable summer work experiences for our young people and good pay for their hard work,” Astorino said.

This latest grant is in addition to $392,000 in funding provided by the New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance to provide summer employment for more than 300 youth, ages 14 to 18,  who are eligible under the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

The county also has an ongoing program with the Business Council of Westchester to provide summer jobs.

Combined, the two grants and the Business Council program will help provide about 900 summer jobs for Westchester youth, of which 735 jobs have already been filled. Businesses and youth interested in participating in this program should contact the One-Stop Employment Center by July 31 at (914) 995-6456.  For information, go to the One-Stop Web site at www.westchesterputnamonestop.com .

“Earlier this year, it seems as if there would be no public funding for summer jobs, so we implemented our own private-sector summer youth employment program with the Business Council of Westchester. Now our young people can benefit from both,” Astorino said.

Commented Marsha Gordon, president of the Business Council: “For the second consecutive summer, the Business Council has been working with Westchester county to help match employers looking for summer help with qualified young people. These awards of New York State funds have gone a long way in increasing the number of youth with jobs this summer.”

Westchester County anticipated the late notice of funds availability and had plans on stand-by to use them.  “All necessary approvals are now in place and our non-profit partners have begun the programs,” said Kevin McGuire, commissioner of Social Services, whose department is overseeing these programs.