Orange County Relaunches TANF-Funded Summer Youth Program for Low-Income 14-20-Year-Olds

GOSHEN—Orange County is relaunching the Summer Youth Employment Program for summer 2026, funded through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant resources, to connect youth ages 14–20 with employers across the county. Last summer, more than 500 youth applied and over 400 were placed at worksites in Orange County, signaling high local demand for paid summer work and job-readiness training.

The county’s Employment and Training Administration frames the program as more than seasonal work. Karina Fabiano, Youth Coordinator with the Orange County Employment and Training Administration, said, “SYEP is about much more than summer jobs. It gives young people the chance to gain workplace experience, build confidence, and develop relationships with mentors and employers who prepare them for the future.” The Workforce Development Board and Orange County Chamber of Commerce are backing the relaunch; Heather Bell, President and CEO of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce and Vice Chair of the Workforce Development Board, said, “The Orange County Summer Youth Employment Program is a valuable investment in our community. By connecting young people with meaningful work experiences, we’re building skills and confidence today while strengthening our future workforce.”

County materials list a range of 2025 worksites that illustrate the program’s reach across municipalities and sectors: the City of Newburgh Aquatic Center, Foeller’s Men’s Shop, Legoland New York, New Wonders Learning Center, High-Class Motorsports, Hudson Valley Christian Church, and the Salvation Army in the City of Port Jervis. County captions emphasize hands-on placements, noting, “Students from the Summer Youth Employment Program working at job sites around Orange County,” and county officials say the program primarily serves youth from low-income families to provide pathways to greater stability and opportunity.

For context, New York City’s SYEP, described as the nation’s largest youth employment program, serves ages 14–24 and reported 100,000 youth served in 2025 with a 95 percent participant satisfaction rate; the NYC application deadline for 2026 was February 27, 2026. Orange County’s age eligibility differs, at 14–20, and the county program currently operates at a much smaller scale than the NYC model.

Several operational details remain unpublished for Orange County’s 2026 relaunch: the county has not yet released application dates or an application portal, hourly pay rates or stipend structure for participants, the TANF allocation amount earmarked for SYEP in 2026, or whether transportation and disability accommodations will be provided. Prospective applicants and employer partners should monitor the Orange County government site and contact the Employment and Training Administration for updates and enrollment instructions.

The program’s return, with demonstrated interest from more than 500 applicants and more than 400 placements last summer, positions SYEP as a lever for local workforce development across Newburgh, Port Jervis, Goshen and surrounding towns; county officials must publish application windows, wage and accessibility details, and placement targets so the relaunch converts promise into measurable outcomes.