Havenplace Community Youth Center began as a series of meetings between several concerned parents and youth pastors from the Cleveland city area. With school shootings becoming the norm in our country, these concerned individuals began looking at our own city and what was being offered to the youth of our area. Finding nothing more than cruising 25th Street and the arcade at the local mall, they began to raise support to create a someplace safe for the young people of Cleveland. After meeting for several weeks, a location inside the Village Greens was rented and, with a name suggested by several youth from a local church, Havenplace was born.
The intention was to create a safe hangout for youth and young adults ages thirteen to twenty-nine where they would not be judged on race or economic background. Initially, Havenplace was to have been a three month experiment to see if what was being done would be attended by the local youth. Using free soft drinks and snacks, along with a few board and card games, Havenplace opened Monday, July 7, 1999 at 7:30p.m. Using volunteers from the local churches and parents of teenagers, and with no advertising, lights were turned on and doors opened to bring in several teenagers on that first night. Havenplace operated from 7:30p.m. through II:30 p.m. seven nights a week in those first few months and offered a contemporary worship service on Sunday nights. Havenplace was met with astounding results. It was not uncommon to have fifty youth a night coming in for free snacks and drinks and hang out playing games or drawing on canvas boards supplied by a volunteer. Havenplace had also been donated a foosball table and a pingpong table which quickly became the competitive sports for the nights.
Realizing a larger facility was needed, Havenplace moved to The Old Woolen Mill in May of 2000. Operating hours were adjusted to 8p.m. through IIp.m. from concern that school age youth were getting home too late. During that time, a second ping-pong table was donated along with an air hockey table. While at the Mill, drama nights became a monthly attraction. Using youth groups from local churches along with the Havenplace Street Church praise and worship band, dramas were built around central themes and presented to the public once a month on Sunday nights. With little heat in the winter months and no air conditioning in the summer, building concerns made relocation a necessity before long. In August of 2001, Havenplace moved once again, to 174 First Street across from the City Police Department. While at this location, a second air hockey table was donated as well as a pool table. There was concern in the beginning how a pool table might affect the atmosphere of Havenplace, but those who attend Havenplace are quick to correct anyone who steps out of the bounds of acceptable behavior with out the placing of rules on the walls. Currently Havenplace is home two pool tables and a ping pong table along with a multitude of board and card games.
Having established a Board of Directors at the beginning, the leadership of Havenplace began looking at ways to better serve the youth. From this search, an Advisory Council was formed in late 2002. This Advisory council would meet once every quarter and includes pastors, police officials, and teachers who were concerned for the youth of the city. The Advisory Council was revised in 2014 and each member is invited to now participate in the regularly scheduled board meetings in a nonvoting capacity.
Havenplace has also established a working relationship with Lee University through their intern programs, allowing students within the various degree programs at Lee to fulfill intern requirements while volunteering at Havenplace. In partnership with Lee, Havenplace even hosted their Backyard program for a time. The Backyard program is a tutoring program located at various sites around the city to help elementary and high school students with their homework. Due to the nature of Havenplace, this Backyard program will be geared more to high school students. Havenplace also works in conjunction with many of the helps services provided in the city and keeps a list of numbers for community service agencies on hand for any in need.
Along with Lee University, Havenplace partners with various organizations across our community such as The Refuge and the Caring Place among others. Havenplace also participates in the annual Cleveland Apple Festival with a booth where festival goers are encouraged to paint a picture for a donation toward the center.
Over the course of the time since the inception of Havenplace, it is easy to say over six hundred teenagers and young adults have come through the doors. Some of whom have been helped to leave substance abuse behind and many have given their lives and hearts to Jesus Christ. Currently Havenplace is open based on volunteer availability Sunday through Friday from 8p.m. through 11 p.m. offering a church service on Sunday nights beginning at 8:15 where anyone is invited to come as they are with no prejudice concerning how one might be dressed and an art program on Thursdays from 6pm-8pm.
Over the course of the seventeen years, there has been concern expressed about the attitude of the youth and young adults and the fact that there is no charge for anything at Havenplace. Many believe that without a price, the youth will not value what they are being provided. The leadership of Havenplace has always expressed the belief that Havenplace Community Youth Center exists for them and will be what they make it. By placing their artwork on the walls, along with collages built of photographs of the youth, the youth view themselves as partial owners of Havenplace. It is not uncommon to find the long time frequenters of Havenplace correcting misbehavior and many nights find the youth volunteering to help clean up and restock at closing. There will never be one person who walks through the doors of Havenplace that does not find love and a place of refuge, and when needed, help in anyway that is available.
The intention was to create a safe hangout for youth and young adults ages thirteen to twenty-nine where they would not be judged on race or economic background. Initially, Havenplace was to have been a three month experiment to see if what was being done would be attended by the local youth. Using free soft drinks and snacks, along with a few board and card games, Havenplace opened Monday, July 7, 1999 at 7:30p.m. Using volunteers from the local churches and parents of teenagers, and with no advertising, lights were turned on and doors opened to bring in several teenagers on that first night. Havenplace operated from 7:30p.m. through II:30 p.m. seven nights a week in those first few months and offered a contemporary worship service on Sunday nights. Havenplace was met with astounding results. It was not uncommon to have fifty youth a night coming in for free snacks and drinks and hang out playing games or drawing on canvas boards supplied by a volunteer. Havenplace had also been donated a foosball table and a pingpong table which quickly became the competitive sports for the nights.
Realizing a larger facility was needed, Havenplace moved to The Old Woolen Mill in May of 2000. Operating hours were adjusted to 8p.m. through IIp.m. from concern that school age youth were getting home too late. During that time, a second ping-pong table was donated along with an air hockey table. While at the Mill, drama nights became a monthly attraction. Using youth groups from local churches along with the Havenplace Street Church praise and worship band, dramas were built around central themes and presented to the public once a month on Sunday nights. With little heat in the winter months and no air conditioning in the summer, building concerns made relocation a necessity before long. In August of 2001, Havenplace moved once again, to 174 First Street across from the City Police Department. While at this location, a second air hockey table was donated as well as a pool table. There was concern in the beginning how a pool table might affect the atmosphere of Havenplace, but those who attend Havenplace are quick to correct anyone who steps out of the bounds of acceptable behavior with out the placing of rules on the walls. Currently Havenplace is home two pool tables and a ping pong table along with a multitude of board and card games.
Having established a Board of Directors at the beginning, the leadership of Havenplace began looking at ways to better serve the youth. From this search, an Advisory Council was formed in late 2002. This Advisory council would meet once every quarter and includes pastors, police officials, and teachers who were concerned for the youth of the city. The Advisory Council was revised in 2014 and each member is invited to now participate in the regularly scheduled board meetings in a nonvoting capacity.
Havenplace has also established a working relationship with Lee University through their intern programs, allowing students within the various degree programs at Lee to fulfill intern requirements while volunteering at Havenplace. In partnership with Lee, Havenplace even hosted their Backyard program for a time. The Backyard program is a tutoring program located at various sites around the city to help elementary and high school students with their homework. Due to the nature of Havenplace, this Backyard program will be geared more to high school students. Havenplace also works in conjunction with many of the helps services provided in the city and keeps a list of numbers for community service agencies on hand for any in need.
Along with Lee University, Havenplace partners with various organizations across our community such as The Refuge and the Caring Place among others. Havenplace also participates in the annual Cleveland Apple Festival with a booth where festival goers are encouraged to paint a picture for a donation toward the center.
Over the course of the time since the inception of Havenplace, it is easy to say over six hundred teenagers and young adults have come through the doors. Some of whom have been helped to leave substance abuse behind and many have given their lives and hearts to Jesus Christ. Currently Havenplace is open based on volunteer availability Sunday through Friday from 8p.m. through 11 p.m. offering a church service on Sunday nights beginning at 8:15 where anyone is invited to come as they are with no prejudice concerning how one might be dressed and an art program on Thursdays from 6pm-8pm.
Over the course of the seventeen years, there has been concern expressed about the attitude of the youth and young adults and the fact that there is no charge for anything at Havenplace. Many believe that without a price, the youth will not value what they are being provided. The leadership of Havenplace has always expressed the belief that Havenplace Community Youth Center exists for them and will be what they make it. By placing their artwork on the walls, along with collages built of photographs of the youth, the youth view themselves as partial owners of Havenplace. It is not uncommon to find the long time frequenters of Havenplace correcting misbehavior and many nights find the youth volunteering to help clean up and restock at closing. There will never be one person who walks through the doors of Havenplace that does not find love and a place of refuge, and when needed, help in anyway that is available.
