The Salvation Army of High Point opens ‘safe space’ for education, fellowship

By: Brad Rowland

Teens face unique challenges in 2021, and even more obstacles arrived within the impact of isolation over the last 12 months. To that end, The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of High Point, North Carolina set out to provide a safe space for their young people. On Wednesday, March 3, a new teen center opened, representing a culmination of planning and execution by many parties.

With the help of a financial grant for construction and operation, as well as furniture donations from LEA Unlimited, Sampson Marketing and Davis Furniture, the new space opened to rave reviews.

“With the time youth are spending online remote learning, we found that middle and high schoolers were reaching out in higher numbers for the support our Remote Learning Enrichment Center provides," said Amy Hudson, executive director of The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of High Point. "With social distancing and safety a priority, we met these challenges by creating a teen friendly safe space to learn and hang out. It is perfect for online learning, tutoring, and safe social interaction with their peers."

The focus of the center is to provide safety, encourage creativity, inspire valuable friendships, and emphasize community connections. With social distancing measures in place, it is operational now, with young people already seeking out the center as a place of education, fellowship, and overall refuge.

"We are excited about our new Teen Center, which will allow our teenagers to have their own space," said Captains Lars and Ingrid Ljungholm. "This is a place where they can be themselves and enjoy a time away from schoolwork and… just be kids!"