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Essential Spotlight


based in Westbrook. Our mis- sion is to provide a safe haven for youth, ages 10-18, sustain- ing them with comfort, meals, resources and hope.


M We are a year-round, free,


out-of-school time, evidence- based, positive youth develop-


ment program specializing in cultivating grit and alleviating hunger and trauma. MPTC is at the forefront of some of the most crucial issues of our time.


• We fight to keep kids safe from the devastation of the opioid epidemic.


• We combat poverty and food insecurity.


• We create real, authentic communities with kids from diverse backgrounds, teaching them how to be good citizens and good neighbors.


• We show teens from broken homes that there is a better way to live life – with accountability, personal responsibility and self-care.


• We are not just raising kids, we are raising the next generation of adults and they are headed your way. It matters who they are now and whom they become as adults.


• We know adverse childhood experiences and the lifelong con- sequences of trauma can be counterbalanced with protective factors such as increasing cognitive capacity, healthy attach- ment of relationships, the ability to regulate emotions and be- haviors and creating safe environments. This is our calling card.


y Place Teen Center is a greater Portland, non-profit organization


A Kid’s Story: Brittany (pseudonym), age 12


Brittany began coming to the Teen Center three years ago. She is in the 7th grade. Brittany resides with her Mom, Dad, five siblings, and her grandmother. Her favorite things to do are go on nature walks, draw anime characters, “sometimes” do homework, read, and watch cooking videos. Brittany said her favorite book is “Sisters” and her favorite movie/video genre is horror, cooking or funny videos on YouTube.


Brittany sounds like your typical kid and like many kids who


feel today’s pressures she started contemplating something that may not have been discovered, until it was too late, if she hadn’t been coming to My Place Teen Center. This past summer we could tell that Brittany was becoming lethargic, quiet and withdrawn. On August 14th, Brittany said to one of the staff members, quietly and matter of factly, that she had a plan to kill herself. She was going to use her bedsheets to hang herself from the beams in her room. She had written a note to her mother and hid it in her journal asking her not to blame herself – her death was not her mother’s fault. She calmly stated that she had been planning this for 6 months. So, at 11 years old she started researching HOW. Methodically. Seri- ously. This was no teenage angst. She was admitted to the ER and ended up in a psychiatric hospital for two weeks. When she came back on the first day of school we felt such a sense of relief to SEE her and look in her eyes and once again SEE the Brittany we had come to know! We wondered what would have happened to her if she didn’t feel comfortable enough to share that secret with us?


Our culture at the Teen Center is loving first and firm when


needed. A family-type, anti-bullying, safe environment is our hallmark. When youth walk through our Red Doors, we see kids who have the potential to thrive with mentoring and guidance. Our niche is fostering grit, perseverance, curiosity, passion, and ac- countability. We are committed to engaging teens in positive rela- tionships and meaningful activities allowing them to be courageous despite their traumatic life circumstances.


All of our services, special events, and meals are free to the 500+ youth that we serve. A donation will help us provide after-school programming for our teens, including a science, technology, engineering and math curriculum, art and music lessons, leader- ship training, and vocational education. We provide hot meals and more than anything, we provide a place to call home, a sense of accountability and room to grow. Our teens rely on donations to support our programs. One time or recurring donations can be made at MyPlaceTeenCenter.org/donate. We encourage you to make a tangible difference in the life of a deserving teen!


10 ELM™ Maine - March/April 2018


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