The Momentum Center is expanding its summer teen program.
This is the first year the nonprofit will have a summer program for teens at its Holland location, 345 W. 14th St. It is also expanding the program at its Grand Haven location, 714 Columbus Ave.
The Grand Haven summer teen program will be 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Tuesday, June 20 and running through Aug. 24. The Holland program is noon to 3 p.m. Mondays and Fridays through Aug. 25.
Both programs are open to
Momentum Center members 13-18 years old and will provide recreational activities and outings that focus on relationships, mental health, and well-being for teens. Membership is $1 per year. Member applications are available at the Momentum Center sites or by emailing
office@momentumcentergh.org.
“We try to keep everything really affordable,” says Anne De Rooy, Grand Haven program coordinator.
Programming with purpose
Some activities included will be tie-dye, arts and crafts, games, and outings in the community.
“We are excited to offer teen programming over the summer. We have a lot of fun and engaging activities planned in order to improve the overall well-being of youth in our community.” says Momentum Center’s Chief Operations Officer Jenna Vipond.
The Momentum Center offers social and recreational activities for people with mental illness, addictions, and disabilities. The teen program focuses on positive relationships, mental health, success in school, and overall well-being. No referral or clinical diagnosis is necessary.
Monthly calendars are available.
The Momentum Center has seen mental health issues for teens skyrocket since the COVID-19 pandemic,De Rooy says.
“We want to be there for the teens. There’s so many mental health issues in teens that people overlook,” De Rooy says. “We really want to be there for those teens in those hard years.”
The Momentum Center’s teen programming aims to give teens the tools to succeed in the future, she says.
Stigma-free
The Momentum Center strives for a stigma-free community with community conversations and by operating The Momentum Center for Social Engagement that addresses mental illness, addictions, and disabilities.
“We want to make a safe space for teenagers to come and be themselves,” De Rooy says. “We want to create that environment for people to express their feelings and be visible just as they are.”
Volunteer opportunities are also available at the Grand Haven Momentum Center. For details, contact Chief Operations Officer Jenna Vipond at
jenna@momentumcentergh.org.
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