News

10/23/2020 - 10/23/20- Grand Opening of The Village Youth Center

NEWS RELEASE

Date: October 23, 2020

Contact: Sergeant Anthony Diaz

Phone: (203) 230-4027

PIO#: 20-145

The Hamden Police Department would like to announce the grand opening of The Village Youth Center, which is a free after school youth center to all children grades 7-12. The Center will be operating from Monday – Friday 2:30PM – 6:00PM. It is located at 21B Pershing Street, Hamden. The center is operated and funded privately by Hamden resident Melissa Jones (203)507-7760, but the Town Community Development Office is working on assisting her with grants and Non-Profit status. Leonard Jahad has been assisting Melissa with the planning and logistics. She is partnered with Solomon Maye from “Get Em Boy Boxing LLC” to offer boxing to the youth at the center. The Hamden Juvenile Review Board and Juvenile Outreach will be working closely with Melissa and using the space for some of our At Risk Youth to meet and spend time with them. The police department will continue to assist “The Village” and will be providing off duty officers as mentors and there will be a space that our on-duty patrol officers can connect with the youth and form relationships, furthering our community relations and community orientated policing initiatives.

The focus of this center is going to be providing a positive and nurturing atmosphere for our youth to develop and enjoy themselves in the evening hours while keeping them safe from street violence and negative influences. The center will be offering Mentoring, College Prep, Youth Entrepreneurs training, life skills, sports training, finance skills and job readiness.

The grand opening is Saturday October 24th at Noon.