Moving on up: Second Story Teen Center seeks to build new facility in Princeton

On the first night of Second Story Teen Center’s existence in 2009, the group had four volunteers and two kids show up according to owners Jeff and Dana Van Autreve.

“We thought, ‘This is crazy, what are we doing?’” Jeff said. “But we stayed the course and did what we needed to do and now we are averaging over 150 kids per week that we are helping in different points of their lives.”

Since then, the organization has continued to stay on the course over the past 14 years that has led them to outgrow their original space above the Johnson’s Carpet Shoppe, at 1033 N. Main St. in Princeton.

Second Story Teen Center has since bought a property on the corner of Crown and South Main streets in Princeton and plans to construct a building that will enable them to service more kids in the area while continuing to work on their original mission.

“We started Second Story because of the teen suicide epidemic that was happening in Bureau County,” Jeff said.

This mission had led Second Story Teen Center to develop and become a community-facing nonprofit organization that provides resources and after-school programs to youth in grades six through 12.

Through their many years and the helm for Second Story Teen Center, it’s been the support of the community and the stories of the kids that they serve that have kept the organization growing.

“We hear so many life stories from these kids and in our hearts, we are all very proud that they get up every morning and do it all over again,” Dana said. “Some of them, I don’t know how they have the strength to get through what they get through at such a young age.”

Jeff and Dana added all kids are welcome into their big Second Story Family regardless of their background, family, status or situation.

“The proof of it for me is that the kids keep coming back every night that we are open,” Dana said. “We are able to serve around 40 kids almost every night.”

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Volunteers and community members pose for a photo where the future home of the Second Story Teen Center will be built at the intersection of Crown Street and South Main Street on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023 in Princeton. (Scott Anderson)

Since 2009, Second Story Teen Center has expanded their services from just providing an after-school safe space for kids to a complete support center that houses a free food pantry that also includes hygiene and clothing items, offers transportation to and from the facility and now offers scholarships to teens seeking post-secondary education.

Food is served each night that they are open to make sure that the kids they serve do not go home hungry.

“There’s a lot of them that might not have a home-cooked meal,” Jeff said.

The organization’s newly planned facility will expand its capacity from 150 people to around 200, will be handicap accessible and include an updated kitchen to serve their hundreds of participants.

“This will open up a whole new era that we are unable to serve right now,” Jeff said. “We will also have more open room so they can have more space to do the different activities that we might have lined up for them.”

In the new facility, the organization hopes to expand its hours while offering a computer lab, quiet room, sewing room, meeting room, gaming room and more to the kids for free.

The growth has also enabled Second Story Teen Center to hire its first employee, a program director. This will allow the organization to create more programs, activities and opportunities for the kids that they serve.

For Jeff and Dana, the Second Story Teen Center has always been about meeting the need for a place kids can safely spend time at, while also helping helping them grow as individuals.

“A big thing is that they are building relationships with our adults and with themselves,” Dana said. “It’s amazing to us that they keep coming out, that they chose to come out.”

Since the organization announced that they would be creating a new facility, Jeff and Dana have been encouraged by the support they have continued to receive from the local community.

“The excitement level has been very encouraging,” Jeff said.

“I think that what we hear most is that they know Princeton needs something for the kids like this,” Dana said.

While in the process of creating the new facility, the Second Story Teen Center is seeking capital campaign sponsors and offers sponsorship packages ranging from $2,500 to $50,000, although donations of any sizes are accepted.

The organization is open to any volunteers that would like to assist in meal prep and serving, mentors, pantry stocking, arts and crafts, marketing, fundraising and more.

“It’s been great to have the community help and support us,” Jeff said.

For more information on the organization visit secondstoryteencenter.org, call 815-303-4111 or view its Facebook page at facebook.com/secondstoryprinceton.