SCRANTON, Pa. — A nonprofit in Lackawanna County that helps homeless and at-risk teens are looking for a new home.
A collage of colors lines the walls inside the NEPA Youth Shelter in downtown Scranton. The pictures transform an empty space into a home.
"There was something in their life that went from dark to light," said Maureen Maher-Gray while looking at the teen's artwork.
Maher-Gray has become that light for dozens of homeless and vulnerable teens that the shelter helps every single day. She started the shelter and teen center seven years ago.
"A lot of what you see, about 70% of what you see has been donated," she explains.
Its mission is only growing stronger as youth shootings and gang violence plague every corner in the city of Scranton. All except this place.
"It's like young children getting a chance to play without any burdens, anything weighing them down. They just get to be kids," she explained.
Now a broken air conditioner has left the building sitting quiet. It's too hot to host the kids inside. Instead, they provide meals outside to the teens. It's a sign of what lies ahead.
"Our current landlord is moving on and asked us to vacate the building by September 1st," explained Maher-Gray
Downstairs, Meals on Wheels of NEPA is like so many of us, trying to do more with less.
"There is economic challenges everywhere, but especially for nonprofits that deal with a truly limited income and are often dependent on donations," says Executive Director Lindsey Skripka.
The organization makes thousands of meals a day, making sure 1,500 seniors don't go hungry. But, with a tight budget, a growing list of clients, and an aging building.
"The cost would be over 10 million dollars to renovate this building," added Skripka.
In order to survive, Meals on Wheels is selling its home of 30 years. And its neighbor's home with it.
"It was a shock, yeah, yeah, because we were really entrenched here," Maher-Gray recalls getting the news.
As the teen center now searches for a new space for the kids to transform into their home.
"I'm very hopeful that we will be able to find something soon and get everything moved over before September.
Meals on Wheels cannot yet say where it is moving or who may end up as the owner of the building.
Anyone who may be able to help the NEPA Youth Shelter is asked to call them at (570) 904-7449, email them at nepayouthshelter@gmail.com or message them on Facebook.