Opportunities are also available to help subsidize shares for low-income families.

Survey Link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LYNVKM8

What is Urban Harvest?
Urban Harvest is an extension of the agriculture program at Isles’ YouthBuild Institute. Supporting Urban Harvest with a donation helps fund internships for students in the training program while providing fresh produce to you as a token of our appreciation. You can feel good about supporting our youth and feel good about what you eat at the same time.

Our History
Beginning in 2010 with a quarter-acre garden adjacent to the school, students planted, tended and harvested produce for their families, staff, and donation to a local food pantry. Inspired by their success, we have expanded the training program by teaching the students practical business and marketing skills.

How does it work?
Contact Jim Simon at jsimon@Isles.org/ 609.341.4724 for the registration form. A confirmation with share pickup information will be sent out before the first distribution. Beginning in June and lasting through November, your Urban Harvest share can be picked up weekly at the location, day, and time indicated on your confirmation.

What can I expect?
We will offer seasonal vegetables, herbs, and small fruits along with recipes and other helpful information about making the most of your share. We also offer monthly tastings and workshops. Each week’s share will supplement an average sized families’ produce needs with a selection of different items. In keeping with Isles’ mission and our desire to foster environmental stewardship in our students, we grow all of our crops using sustainable practices. This includes not using chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides.

Click here for the Urban Harvest CSA brochure.

For more info, contact Jim Simon at jsimon@isles.org/609.341.4724.

To become certified to perform services under the Home Performance program, Isles E4 became an accredited contractor by the Building Performance Institute (BPI).  The Building Performance Institute (BPI) is a national resource for building science technology that sets standards for assessing and improving the energy performance of homes.

Through this program, Isles E4 will be able to offer energy audits and provide all NJ Clean Energy Program incentives for retrofits and home energy upgrades.  Find out more about the Home Performance with Energy Star program.

Isles YouthBuild Institute (IYI) is proud to partner with the Bank of America Charitable Foundation under the YouthBuild USA Green Initiative.  In 2010, Bank of America awarded $500,000 to YouthBuild USA to expand career training programs in the green construction field to be distributed to five local YouthBuild programs across the country.  After a competitive grant process, IYI received $40,000 to provide students at their Trenton facility with the training needed to access careers in green industries.

IYI is one of 273 YouthBuild USA locations throughout the country.  IYI is an alternative school and training center for individuals, ages 16 to 24, who have struggled in conventional school settings and/or dropped out.  At IYI, students earn a high school diploma; gain skills in construction, computer technology, and office administration; work on rehabilitating homes in Trenton; and learn life skills and leadership.  IYI also provides counseling in career choice, job search, and applications for higher education.

IYI’s partnership with Bank of America provides the funding to equip students with the job training they need to succeed in today’s green economy.  Isles President and founder, Marty Johnson, says, “Integrating green practices into the construction curriculum and other IYI programming is, and will continue to be, a crucial initiative at IYI.  Bank of America values the importance of job training and education – we are proud to count them among our partners.”

“The IYI team constantly challenge themselves to maximize the potential of their students, and by embracing the study of green practices they will help create additional career opportunities down the road,” said Robert H. Doherty, Bank of America New Jersey president.

Bank of America is a longtime partner of Isles, providing more than $850,000 in financial support over the past decade for affordable housing development, community planning, job training, financial literacy training and small business development.  In 2008, Isles was selected as a Neighborhood Builder® through the bank’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative®, which recognizes, nurtures, and rewards nonprofits, local heroes and student leaders working to improve their communities.  Neighborhood Builders receive $200,000 in general operating support and participate in specially-designed leadership development programs.

For more information about Isles YouthBuild Institute’s partnership with Bank of America, please contact Yuki Moore Laurenti at 609-341-4721 or ylaurenti@isles.org.

To watch an overview of IYI, please click here.

More information is also available here.

The deadline for applications is August 16, 2011. Applications are available online here.

For additional information, please call Tanika Jones at 609-341-4751 or visit the Isles YouthBuild Institute at 33 Tucker Street to pick up application materials.