Poughkeepsie, NY
A nonprofit, multi-art educational center dedicated to bringing a wide range of creative, educational culturally enriching programs to diverse audiences throughout the Hudson Valley.
In 1981, Carol Wolf moved to Poughkeepsie from New York City. With another artist/she rented 7000 square feet of Studio space in the former Bond Clothing Factory. Following her lead, 12 artists soon occupied studios. Mill Street Loft became a nonprofit, multi-art educational center dedicated to bringing a wide range of creative, educational culturally enriching programs to diverse audiences throughout the Hudson Valley. Mill Street Lofts has always been committed to fostering a vital link between arts and business because economic growth is part of community development. In 1994, Project ABLE was created at Mill Street Loft to address the needs of economically disadvantaged youth who face multiple barriers to employment.
Established in1994, Project ABLE (Arts for Basic education, Life skills, and Entrepreneurship), operates year-round and serves 75 at-risk youth ages 14-21 per year. Youth work 12-30 hours a week after school, on weekends and during holidays. The programs are supported by grants from national foundations and funding from the State of New York.
Project ABLE operates on six levels:
- Youth learn carpentry skills, public art, product design and arts technology— activities that allow them to express themselves artistically and to learn valuable job skills.
- Participants have renovated a gift shop, art gallery and warehouse that are used as training sites. At the gift shop, youth develop retail skills through recording sales, pricing items, inventory control, purchasing materials, budgeting, making sales, banking, working a cash register etc. Youth apprentice in different occupations and are linked with mentors from the local business community. Mentors provide hands-on entrepreneurial skills, job readiness skills, and general workplace orientation.
- Youth "earn as they learn" and are paid $5.00-$5.75/hr.
- Basic educational Skills, including computer training, are woven into the program. Out-of-school youth employed in the project are required to participate in a GED program.
- In addition to providing job skills training and ultimately placing participants in jobs, Project ABLE participants are also learning interpersonal skills such as conflict resolution, decision-making, promptness, and dressing and speaking appropriately. The program also helps youth feel they are a part of their community by providing opportunities for service. Consequently their sense of pride in and ownership of the community increases. Learning takes on new meaning as they see it linked with community and their own future employment opportunities.
- Project ABLE is also a crime and substance abuse prevention program, with a strong life skills component that include straining in conflict resolution, leadership, communication, teamwork, cooperation, and problem-solving
In Poughkeepsie, where departing businesses are leaving behind little more than rust, unemployment, and hopelessness, youth are finding hope at Mill Street Loft. While the drop out rate is high, and crime rates even higher, police report that no youth from Project ABLE have ever been found guilty of criminal or delinquent behavior. Instead, young adults from Project ABLE are taking art and using it to revitalize their town.