No mortgage crisis here

It was a celebration that involved fire and matches.

The Youth Employment Service of the Harbor Area Inc. has burned its mortgage.

The nonprofit organization, which has helped as many as 27,000 young people find jobs in the past four decades, now owns its building at 114 E. 19th St. in Costa Mesa.

On Monday, the organization handed off a check for more than $71,000 to the National Charity League.

The funds that will be saved by not having mortgage payments will go toward continuing the organization’s programs and replacing the vacant program coordinator position, said Kathy Du Vernet, youth employment service executive director.

For years, the service rented a space from the local National Charity League chapter, a nonprofit organization with chapters throughout the nation.

But that changed in 1996, said Du Vernet, when then-board President Ron Amburgey began exploring the option of buying the building.

An agreement was drafted between the National Charity League and the youth employment service to buy the building for $200,000, pay about $550 a month in mortgage installments, and pay off the entire mortgage by 2013, Du Vernet said.

However, paying the minimum wasn’t enough to pay off the mortgage by the deadline.

The organization then began raising extra funds along with allocating an annual amount from its unrestricted general funds and setting it aside to pay off the mortgage on time.

Amburgey, who still serves on the board, said he felt relieved that the mortgage has finally been paid off — and four years ahead of the deadline.

With help from the youth employment service, Yesenia Vela was able to find her first job two years ago. Now the 19-year-old college student, who holds two part-time jobs, is working with the service to find a full-time job. Vela said she needs to concentrate on her school work, and working two jobs is very time consuming.

Stacy Ramirez is another student seeking the service’s help. Ramirez, a Costa Mesa resident, said she’s hoping to find a job where she can serve others or care for animals.

“I love working with animals, and I love helping others because it makes me feel better about myself knowing that I’m helping others,” she said.