One n Ten, a resource center for LGBTQ youth, is celebrating its grand opening at a new location on Wednesday. The old location burned down in July. The suspected arsonist is a man who once received services from the center.
Travis Shumake, director of development for One n Ten, said they were already planning the move to the Parsons Center for Health and Wellness on Central Avenue. But when the fire damaged all of the center’s possessions, thinking about relocating was put on hold, until the community stepped in.
"The community support has been amazing. We had over 560 individual donations from around actually the nation — and the world —anywhere from $5 to $500," Shumake said.
Shumake said they also received donations of things they lost in the fire, like technology and musical instruments. Not only replacing what they lost, but also in a lot of cases they now have more than before to the tune of 11 guitars and eight pianos, for example, where they had a few guitars and one piano before.
Shumake said security is tighter in the new building, but that an attack like the one in July is not 100 percent preventable.
"Proving our youth the resources they need hopefully will be a large deterrent, and then just the security of this building and its new systems and locks may help us in that, but again I think if someone has that intention, no steel or glass is going to stop them,"
The center opened to youth Monday as moving wrapped up.
