The nonprofit Computer Mentors Inc. was awarded a $1 million federal grant to give juvenile offenders the opportunity to learn computer job skills while also providing re-built computers to area residents.

The award was announced today by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, during a news conference at Computer Mentors. The East Tampa-based agency was founded in 1997 to provide computer training to inner city children and to build a network of professionals to serve as mentors.

About 15 projects nationally received $20 million in Civic Justice Corps Grants through the U.S. Department of Labor. Castor said Computer Mentors was the only Florida agency awarded a grant.

"It is largely because of the work you've already done," Castor said.

The agency's primary focus is on low-income children but an adult training course also is available.

The federal grant will pay to teach computer technology and repair skills to a total of 66 juvenile offenders, ages 18 to 24. Each participant will enroll in one of three classes over the next three years and receive a stipend during the eight months they attend the program.

As they develop skills the program's trainees will provide computer maintenance service to 10 area nonprofit organizations. They also will rebuild a total of 160 computers for donation to the community, including qualifying veterans and low-income students.

This will be the first time Computer Mentors has been able to include this age group in its programs. "It really is going to help us connect the dots," said Executive Director Ralph Smith. "This is the one category we've been persistently not able to fill the gap."

Enrollment begins in July with the program scheduled to start in fall. Among the agency's partners in this project are the Hillsborough County school district, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the local juvenile justice office.