The NEPA Youth Shelter has found a temporary home for its teen after-school program days before the deadline to move out of the Scranton building they’ve called home for more than seven years.
Executive Director Maureen Maher-Gray said a donor, who would like to remain anonymous, offered them a space for four months, and she is in negotiations for a permanent home that will fit the center’s needs.
“You have no idea the sleeplessness that I’ve had these last few weeks,” she said.
She said both calls were unsolicited. The donor for the temporary space and the business they’re negotiating with called Maher-Gray directly.
“In my heart I knew that there were people out there who just needed a little nudge and they took it, they heard the calling and they stepped up,” she said. “I’m just so thankful to them.”
She had until September 1 to move out of the shelter and teen program’s expansive space on Wyoming Avenue after Meals on Wheels NEPA decided to sell the building in May.
At the start of August, Maher-Gray hadn’t found any viable options. Volunteers were figuring out how to reach the teens that needed them via outdoor events at the high schools and moving furniture and other items into storage.
The Teen Center offers an afterschool program for any Scranton students during the school year. They come for meals, snacks and classes, or just to spend time with friends.
For a new space, Maher-Gray was looking for something similar to the 6,000 square feet they used on Wyoming Avenue. It also needed to be conveniently located within walking distance of the high schools in Scranton.
Maher-Gray said the temporary space won’t be ready for teens until next week. This week, volunteers will set up tables at Scranton High School and West Scranton High School with free water and snacks and let the students know where to go.
The donor offering the facility asked Maher-Gray not to disclose the location to the public.
The temporary space does not have access to a sink or dishwasher, so Maher-Gray said they will be in need of paper plates and plastic utensils. Donated meals are also welcome.
“We’ll be doing sandwiches for the kids…at least for a while, as much as possible,” she said. “But any restaurants that have, you know, leftover food that we can heat up for dinner the next day, we’ll be happy to take those donations.”
She’s optimistic about the negotiations with the permanent space as well. She said the location, in particular, is perfect for students to walk to the center.
“I just want to thank everybody for their constant support and their positive messages,” she said. “It really helped, I believe, get us to where we are.”
