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NYC Teens On Probation Return To Help Sandy Victims This Summer

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A program that has helped both teens who landed on the wrong side of the law and the victims of superstorm Sandy is back for the summer.

In January, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched YouthWRAP, which stands for Weekend Restoration Assistance Program.

The program puts youths on probation between the ages of 14 and 18 into paid positions helping restore the city from the damage of Sandy.

The program is funded by the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City.

NYC Teens On Probation Help Sandy Victims This Summer

Since January, the city said there have been 13,587 hours of service, 32,000 meals served, 11,000 containers of food and non-perishable items packed, 1,000 cases of water distributed, 2,000 bags of leaves removed from seven NYC parks, 30 park benches refurbished and painted, 12 trucks loaded with relief materials, and 10 houses repaired.

Now, the program is back for another seven-week session that was launched by the mayor and other city officials on Monday.

Bloomberg said over 70 percent of the 84 young people who joined the program in January are returning to serve in summer YouthWRAP. There are 450 participants for the summer session.

"Let's give a big round of applause to those young people who've stuck through all the winter and now are here for the summer," said Probation Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi.

"I'd like to thank the participants who have joined us for all their hard work," said Bloomberg.

"I've seen firsthand how much some people suffered and it feels good helping them out," program participant Aquarius Petteway told WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola. "It wasn't until I was in the program for a couple of weeks that I realized it wasn't just an escape."

"This is not just a jobs program. It's not just to put a check in your pocket. You also have the opportunity to change the way people think about young people involved in the justice system," Schiraldi said.

This summer, the program will be working in the following places:

Citywide
Project Hope (administered by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene)

Brooklyn
Canarsie Disaster Relief Committee (My Time Inc.) (Canarsie)
Gravesend Houses (Gravesend)
Floyd Bennett Field
Salt & Sea Mission (Coney Island)

Bronx
Bronx River Alliance (Olinville)
Food Bank for NYC (Hunts Point)
Van Cortlandt Park

Manhattan
NY Common Pantry (East Harlem)
World Care Center (Midtown)

Queens
Church of God Christian Academy (Far Rockaway)
Flushing Park
Forest Park - Project 1
Forest Park - Project 2
Fort Tilden Park
World Care Center (Rockaway)

Staten Island
Guyon Rescue (Oakwood)
World Care Center/Occupy Sandy (Midland Beach)

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