Welcome to Donna’s Corner
Many exciting things happen at My Place Teen Center. Check back monthly to see what’s the latest and greatest!
Springtime at the oasis…
APRIL 2023
What’s behind our Red Door
Opened in 1998 and serving York and Cumberland counties, we are an impactful and energetic southern Maine after-school, year-round teen oasis that supports the needs of at-risk youth, their families, and the surrounding community. Two decades of data show that our programs:
• Engage youth in learning and boost school attendance
• Support social and emotional development
• Prevent youth violence
• Accelerate on-time graduation
The Top Four Things We Do:
• Feed hungry kids.
• Nurture a sense of purpose and belonging.
• Provide relevant, translatable job and life skills.
• Mentor emotional health and well-being.
MPTC Differentiators:
• Free
• Five days/per week and year-round
• Southern Maine access – Cumberland and York County locations
• Physical space: Warm, living-room vibe aesthetic
• Homemade, daily meals
• Teen-centric + a cohort of 18-24-year-olds — “Adulting 101”
• Job and life preparedness
• Emotional wellness, curiosity, leadership, and accountability
• Drop-in and program-specific
• Local control; local decision-making
• Harbinger of hope and haven for high-risk youth
Where are they now?
MARCH 2023
Success at My Place Teen Center comes in many ways.
A 25-Year History Worth Celebrating
FEBRUARY 2023
The Story of My Place Teen Center
Changing Lives
JANUARY 2023
Happy Holidays to our Merriest!
DECEMBER 2022
- Free
- Inclusive
- Homey, warm, inviting aesthetic
- Homemade, daily meals
- Emotional wellness
- Year-round
- Teen-centric + a cohort of 18-24-year-olds — “Adulting 101”
- Job and life preparedness
- Focus on social-emotional learning and evidence-based strategies such as instilling grit, curiosity, leadership, and self-awareness
- Drop-in and program-specific
- Local control; local decision-making
It’s easy to love MPTC!
NOVEMBER 2022
My Place Teen Center has served kids in greater Westbrook for almost 25 years. And now, we’re working closely with Biddeford Housing Authority/Southern Maine Affordable Housing and city leaders regarding establishing a second site at 75 Bacon Street, Biddeford, the former St. Andre’s Church. The new teen center renovation, covering 9,800 square feet on the church’s main floor, will include roof repairs, flooring, painting, windows and doors, plumbing, heating, ventilation system, security and electrical upgrades, fire alarms, a commercial kitchen, and more. In all, the renovation project is estimated at $2.8 million. With $650k in-kind, $1.5MM from the American Rescue Plan in York County, and $650k from grants and individuals, our target opening date is 2024.
The Biddeford program will be modeled after our first location in Westbrook. We will continue to provide an array of services for youth — including daily meals, a leadership academy, a restaurant job training program, homework assistance, programs called Get Urban Kids Outside! and Making Proud Choices, peer support groups, and a variety of other services supporting young people from Biddeford and the wider area. All programs and services offered at My Place Teen Center are free. The new center is projected to serve 70 to 100 young people daily and about 11,000 meals a year. Follow our progress here.