Monadnock Ledger-Transcript – Avenue A receives $1 million to expand teen center

The Avenue A Teen Center will soon have a new home, as the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority (CDFA) awarded the Grapevine Family & Community Resource Center a $1 million forgivable loan through the Capital Investment Program of the community center to support the construction of a permanent center. center for adolescents.

Avenue A provides programs for adolescents to develop their social and emotional well-being, creative expression, mental well-being, and career and life skills, and the new facility will be an addition to The Grapevine facility located at 4 Aiken St. in Antrim.

According to an announcement from the Grapevine, this addition will nearly double Avenue A's capacity to offer youth activities – from 1,200 to approximately 2,300 square feet – and allow it to run multiple programs simultaneously, provide accessible outdoor space for learning and recreation, to offer safe pedestrian access and parking services and improve accessibility through a more open and more manageable floor plan.

Construction is expected to begin in September, and although it must be completed by next August, Grapevine general manager Melissa Gallagher said it will likely be finished by next spring.

“We’ve been dreaming of an opportunity like this for some time,” Gallagher said. “This award will create a new safe and accessible environment and a real hub of support for teenagers across our region. We are extremely grateful to the New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority for recognizing the need and great potential for this project. We also benefit from the support of matching donors, including the John Vance ACCESS Fund, as well as contributions from anonymous donors.

Community Center Investment Program resources support improvements to current indoor and outdoor facilities, as well as the construction of new facilities that are proven to be inclusive, open to the public, and promote a culture of health and wellness in the communities where they are located. serve. The program provided a total of $20 million in resources to New Hampshire community centers.