Berrien County Receives $500,000 Grant for Youth Center

The Berrien County Collaborative recently received a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to build a Youth Empowerment Services (YES) Center. The 8,000 square-foot building will be located adjacent to a recreation complex on property owned by the county. The land includes room for expansion for a "one-stop shop" for the county's youth and families.

The YES Center will include office space for 10 staff, six classrooms to accommodate 100 after-school students, a computer lab with 30 computers networked with the school system, a multi-purpose room with a kitchen and seating for 100 people, a Parent Information and Resource Center, and four acres to develop for activities. Local businesses, private donors, and the city and county government have secured more than $85,000 to match the grant.