HISTORY OF THE YOUTH CENTER
The Youth Center in Glen Gardner was established in 1970. This former Lutheran Church, built in 1871 and located on Hampton Road, was sold to a local group of people for $1.00. These individuals would then serve as the Board of Trustees and establish a youth center.

Since that time, the non-profit private Center has been offering recreational, educational and social programs to young people in all surrounding communities. Some of the areas of instruction that are offered include Preschool Enrichment, Karate, Little Tykes Sports, Soccer, Basketball, and Baseball. The Youth Center's largest and fastest growing program is its Summer Day Camp. Started in 1997, the Summer Day Camp offers a wide variety of general day camp activities including, sports, games, nature, arts and crafts, swimming, field trips and multiple other creative offerings that all attribute to the success of this popular program. The Youth Center Day Camp is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). These various programs are offered to a wide range of individuals from 18 months through adult.

The present Board of Trustees is made up of eight or more individuals from surrounding communities. The Board meets regularly to review programs, personnel, and policies for the organization.

The organization is run by a Director and there are approximately 22 others that serve as professional and support staff. The Youth Center currently provides a variety of programs for 300 to 500 members per year.

Volunteers are a valued asset to the organization. Ways in which a volunteer may help is by coaching a sport, helping the instructional staff, or by volunteering their services to paint, do "handyman" work, gardening, working on a fundraiser committee, or staff computer training.

The Youth Center is a private, non-profit organization, and is primarily self supported through program revenues. United Way, fundraising, corporate, private and foundation funding contribute to the overall support of The Center, as well.

The Youth Center offers rental opportunities to other non-profit organizations such as, town recreation, scouts and public schools.

Collaborative programming and affiliations that are established with The Youth Center include, Hunterdon Prevention Resources (HPR), Coalition Against Tobacco (CAT), New Jersey Parks and Recreation Association (NJPRA), United States Tennis Association (USTA).

The Youth Center has a strong scholarship program by which recipients are provided services at a reduced fee or free of charge after financial eligibility is established.