Florida Builders Showcase HBI’s Project CRAFT Program - 1/12/2004 - Real Estate Education Training Schools Conferences

Florida Builders Showcase HBI’s Project CRAFT Program

The visitors, who were invited by Tampa Bay Builders Association President Bill Paul, included Florida State Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-Palm Harbor); Tom McFayden, regional director of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice; Mike Hickman, president of the Florida Home Builders Association; and Al Moretz, executive officer of the Highlands County Builders Association.

Featured on the tour were the newest additions to the campus, including two vocational training buildings constructed by Project CRAFT students that saved Florida taxpayers more than $200,000.

The group also visited a new pavilion built by Project CRAFT trainees that will be used by Air Force retirees vacationing at the neighboring Avon Park Air Force Base.

Bilirakis’ interest in Project CRAFT was sparked months ago in discussions with Paul and Hickman. A member of the Appropriations Committee, he is aware of the program’s valuable contributions to the state of Florida.

“We are proud of the partnership our industry has established with the Department of Juvenile Justice.” Paul said. “Project CRAFT is helping young people rebuild their lives while contributing to the state’s skilled workforce, and we are offering taxpayers a return on their investment. We want to share this with our policymakers in Tallahassee and are very pleased Rep. Bilirakis was able to visit the program.”

Project CRAFT (Community Restitution Apprenticeship-Focused Training) currently operates on seven sites. Four are located in Florida, funded by the state's Department of Juvenile Justice; the others are in Monroe Township, NJ; Dallas and Nashville.

The success of Project CRAFT was most recently cited in the U.S. House and Senate Conference Report to the FY 2004 Omnibus Bill, which provides funding to several government agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State.

Project CRAFT was recognized in the report “as a model intervention technique in the rehabilitation and reduced recidivism of adjudicated youth.” The conferees who drafted the report encouraged the Office of Juvenile Programs to open Project CRAFT sites at new locations.

For more information on Project CRAFT programs, e-mail John Hattery at HBI or call him at 800-368-5242 x8916.