Nonprofit aims to give teens a productive space after school

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus non-profit is hoping to help more teenagers on the city's west side through additional programming.

The building at 2300 Sullivant Avenue used to house offices for a masonry company. Now it is serving a new purpose. It's home to Lower Lights Ministries' new Community Learning Center.

"It's just super exciting, because over the past few months of investing so much time and energy into putting the space together and envisioning why we’re here," said Hunter Winey, the center's director. "It’s just super cool to see people then catching wind of that."

The center is for children in grades six to 12. The team at Lower Lights is hoping to help fill the gap of time from when students get out of school to when their parents get home from school.

"It's also a time where a lot of parents might be working so kids going home to empty houses, they might be bored, they might not know what to do with their time and might end up in places they don't want to be," Winey said. "The age where you start exploring, you start becoming more independent and going out on your own and doing things and so this is I think a place that can direct them in a positive direction."

The ground floor of the building is meant for homework help and also includes spaces for art, music, STEM, and a quiet room to unwind. The bottom level includes several areas to hang out with games and other activities.

"The hopes is that over time we see holistic growth in their lives," Winey said.

The center is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Lower Lights' new Child Enrichment Center is right across the street. It's under construction and is expected to open in 2024.