House gives kids a place to relax

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

The facility is free to young people who want to attend.

LIBERTY — What once stood as an empty building for several years has been transformed into a haven for young people — a true home away from home.

Robert Denen and his son Andy Denen acquired the former landscaping business at 1155 Church Hill-Hubbard Road a few years ago and after some remodeling and landscaping, The Safe House for kids was opened. The facility opened in June 2007 with a “soft opening.”

“What we did is tell a few kids familiar with us what we were doing, and it just worked from there,” said Denen.

Robert Denen, a former pastor who left the pulpit to pursue his desire to help and work with kids, said the name of the facility can be somewhat misleading. The Safe House is not a place for troubled youths or kids facing problems. It is instead a place for all kids to come to relax and visit with friends, with the hope that any potential problems the child may have faced would be avoided by coming to the facility.

Andy Denen said, simply put, the facility is about building relationships with young people.

“It’s almost a clich now, but most students do get into trouble between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. What we want to do is build a relationship with students and impact their lives teaching them the importance of wise choices for their future,” said Andy Denen.

The Denens say a big part of what sets The Safe House apart from other facilities dealing with young people is the approach. Andy Denen said one goal at The Safe House is for young people to feel welcomed without pressure to be any certain way.

“Instead of wanting a kid to come to where we are, we say we want to meet you where you are. We want them to feel like they belong here,” said Andy Denen. “We try to be an extension of the family. Today it takes a lot with mom and dad usually both working.”

Everything in The Safe House, from the light color scheme to the furniture and activities offered speak to a younger crowd. The target ages are 11 to 17.

There are 17 large-screen televisions throughout the facility, most with some sort of video game system attached. The Denens approve all games before they can be played on any of the systems.

The house also has several pool tables, pingpong tables, a basketball court, computers for doing homework and studying, a dining area where meals are served three times a week and lounge areas where kids can sit and socialize. There is a stocked pond in the rear of the facility, and the Denens hope to add additional activities outside in the near future.

The Denens also hold a church service at 10:30 a.m. every Sunday, and parents are invited to sit in and observe the facility at any time.

The facility is free to any student who wants to attend, and there is a database of students who have come to the facility so the staff can keep in touch and let the young people know when something special is going on. Students are required to sign in and out so parents know exactly how long their children were at the facility.

The Denens say attendance at The Safe House varies between a few kids to several dozen kids on any given day. The database of kids visiting includes hundreds of names.

The Safe House is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday during the summer months. The winter hours are 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday.

The Denens also operate a summer camp for kids and a facility for troubled youth in Warren.

The Safe House, according to Robert Denen, is operated solely on private and corporate donations.

Robert Denen said facilities such as The Safe House are important if areas like the Valley want to keep kids on the right path with constructive activities and keep those young people in the area as they progress into adulthood.

“If the Youngstown area is going to change it has to be with this generation, otherwise we are going to keep spinning our wheels,” said Robert Denen. “We have girls that have said since they started coming here, they don’t cut themselves anymore. Now that is how we measure success.”

Pat Ungaro, township administrator, is also watching the success of the facility. He said The Safe House has been an asset to the township.

“I don’t think there is anything more important in the community than to have a place for kids to go rather than just hanging out,” he said. “Liberty is fortunate to have something of that quality in the community.”

jgoodwin@vindy.com