JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A new Durkeeville teen center is looking to make a difference.
Club 904 Teen Center is part of the Malivai Washington Youth Foundation and will house programs such as mental health counseling, recreation activities, job and leadership training and enrichment courses.
Over $5 million was raised to build the new facility on West 6th Street.
Mayor Lenny Curry and City councilmembers Ju’Coby Pitman and Sam Newby were on-hand to cut the ribbon Wednesday.
A room dedicated to music education, study lounges and spots to do homework on computers that are spaced according to social distancing standards.
Washington explained, “There’s a lot of will in the community to better every area of the community and that’s all we’ve done. We’ve got a group of people together and said this is what we believe we can do and this is how we can do it.”
Mayor Curry said the center is a "game-changer."
Mayor Curry backing his budget proposal Wednesday explained millions will go toward infrastructure improvements in underserved districts.
“The five budgets I’ve submitted, the last one is an investment in zip codes that were left behind,” he said.
Curry, who cut the ribbon at the Malivai Washington Youth Foundation’s Club 904 says the public-private partnerships are key in building the community.
“Crime reduction is a part of it but that’s not the reason if our young people believe we are investing in them to solve crime and have a good chamber of commerce commercial and attract people that doesn’t demonstrate love and concern for them,” Curry said, “This is first and foremost about providing opportunity in a means to success.”