Jobs for at-risk youth open up in WNY

Jul. 26—Following recent gun violence prevention community meetings in the Western New York, Syracuse and Rochester areas, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced 1,813 jobs will be available for at-risk youth across these three areas in the ZIP codes that make up each zone.

The ZIP codes are: 14701,14204, 14206, 14207, 14208, 14209, 14210, 14211, 14212, 14214, 14215, 14301, 14303, 14304, and 14305, in the Western New York area.

Locally, the state will provide funding to create 301 summer jobs for youth aged 15 to 24 in this zone to keep them employed until the start of school this year. The state is partnering with local workforce development boards to provide job training and placement into long-term jobs for 625 young people who are out of school and live in this zone (530 jobs for Buffalo zip codes, 45 for Jamestown, and 50 for Niagara Falls).

In the Rochester area, the state will provide funding to create 181 summer jobs for youth. Through its partnering with local workforce development boards, the State will provide job training and placement into long-term jobs for 450 young people who are out of school and live in this zone.

In the Syracuse area, the state will provide funding to create 106 summer jobs for youth. Through its partnering with local workforce development boards, the State will provide job training and placement into long-term jobs for 150 young people who are out of school and live in this zone.

"We remain committed to addressing the gun violence crisis with every tool at our disposal, and today's meetings in Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester allowed us to settle on plans for each of these areas to keep children in safe spaces and protect their most vulnerable residents," Cuomo said. "We are working with local leaders and experts to make sure these plans take into account the reality on the ground in every community, and we will continue to collaborate with the communities until we see the results that we want."

"It is unacceptable what is happening to our children and our communities because of gun violence," added Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul. "We have to give people hope and let them know their lives have meaning, which starts with creating job opportunities for at-risk youth. I am optimistic just as we beat back this pandemic, that we can prevail over this pandemic of gun violence by working together with our local elected officials and community leaders."

Earlier this month, Cuomo kicked off a series of community meetings that will be held in emerging gun violence hot spots across the state, where State officials and community leaders can carve out initiatives to address the ongoing gun violence. The initiatives focus on engaging the most at-risk youth in cluster zones in employment and community activities, hiring new community-based gun violence interrupters, as well as assistance for mental health and substance use disorders.