Home Depot Invests $10M into Boys and Girls Clubs

As students nationwide return to school, The Home Depot Foundation (NYSE:HD) is investing $10 million to broaden access to skilled trades training and education. This investment includes a new $1 million partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), designed to introduce more young people to career opportunities in the construction trades. “Through the Foundation's Path to Pro program – focused on helping to fill the skilled labor gap” reads this morning’s news release, “the partnership with BGCA launches a two-year pilot in Boys & Girls Clubs across Atlanta, Phoenix and Houston that will introduce more than a thousand children and teens to careers in carpentry, electrical, HVAC and plumbing. Integrated within Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Life & Workforce Readiness Program, Club members will learn new skills, gain hands-on experiences and have opportunities to apply their skills by working alongside Team Depot, The Home Depot's associate volunteer force, on community-based projects."The skilled trades offer some of the most promising career paths, yet many young people either aren't aware of or lack access to these opportunities," said Erin Izen, executive director of The Home Depot Foundation. "This investment in our Path to Pro nonprofit partners – including our new partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America – empowers students to hone these new skills while also strengthening the future of the construction industry."As to the parent company, HD shares gained 81 cents Wednesday to $408.01.