Success Stories

Kwadwo Abaka came to the Worcester Youth Center for basketball. But beyond developing new skills on the court, he says he’s gained tools for life. Since the summer of 2023, he’s joined the Ball Is Life and work readiness programs.

Elizabeth Offibea has been involved in nearly every program offered by the Worcester Youth Center. And she’s brought her friends with her. She calls herself an overachiever who is “always trying to do stuff.” In seventh grade, she attended Teen

George Russell’s first memory of the Worcester Youth Center was as a small child walking into the 27 Chandler St. building with his older brother and stepfather. By the time he was 13, the Youth Center had moved down Chandler

In 2016, Nasya Agyekum came with a friend to a YouthConnect event at the Worcester Youth Center. Her friend’s father worked there, and she wanted to see what it was all about. She found a welcoming place. “That was three

Damien Pagan used to be “very shy,” he said, but after serving as an outreach worker through the Worcester Youth Center, he speaks easily with people now. Spending time at the Youth Center was a big stepping-stone for him, he

Once known as the “Panini Girl” at the Youth Center’s snack shop, Angie Lozada now works with mothers and babies as an OB/GYN nurse. And she loves her job. “Honestly, I’ve come a long way,” she said. “I was a

Staying up all night at the train station and in parks left a homeless Eduardo Pagan exhausted. During the day, he slept on the wooden couch at the Worcester Youth Center — just long enough to boost his energy to

From a kid on the streets to restaurant owner, Melvin Medina credits the Worcester Youth Center with making a big impact on his life. “It was awesome,” Melvin said of the Worcester Youth Center. “They were great with the kids.”

Julio Joyner gained customer service and people skills in an office setting, thanks to a temporary internship at UMass Memorial Medical Center arranged through the Worcester Youth Center. Today he works in the science technology field selling clinical research data

Jason Hamza Perez calls the time he spent at the Worcester Youth Center “The Golden Years.” “We had lots of fun, but did some serious work helping at-risk youth, especially at 27 Chandler St.,” he said. Through the Worcester Youth