Poughkeepsie Youth Opportunity Union (YOU)

Learn more: https://www.the-you.org/

The vision is not just to increase services for Poughkeepsie youth - the vision is to build a new, state-of-the-art Youth Opportunity Center that will set a standard for youth empowerment and create a model for a homegrown approach to workforce development as a means of supporting increased economic activity.

The center will be a multi-use facility that focuses on recreational, educational, and healthy opportunities, both physical and mental, for youth and also will be the home of the county’s Path to Promise initiative that employs strategic ways to ensure all young people in Dutchess County — from birth through employment — have the assets they need to achieve their full potential as they grow into young adults.

YOU’s offerings might include a pool, gymnasium, fitness center, wellness, and health services and a 24-hour childcare center in addition to classes. The Youth Opportunity Center can bring evidence-based programs and services together in one space to address health disparities and the social determinants of health as well as educational disparities in the City of Poughkeepsie and throughout Dutchess County.

Who

The vision for YOU represents a coalition formed by the City of Poughkeepsie along with Duchess County, the State of New York, educators, and several service providers.

Funding

Proposed total project cost $40 Million. Current funding sources and project sponsors: Dutchess County ($25 Million) $10 million of which will be funded by its ARP allocation, City of Poughkeepsie infrastructure funds ($1M), DRI ($5 Million), Unidentified Future Sources ($10 Million).