After moving into a new facility in the spring of 2004, Community of Hope Church in Columbia City, Ind., had a dream. Having outgrown their building at 201 West Market Street and moving into a new one, they now pondered what to do with their old building. Could this facility become the center of a new movement to grow happy and healthy young people?

From that dream and a partnership with the Community Foundation of Whitley County was born The Center for Whitley County Youth.

In December 2006, Community of Hope Church and The Center were legally separated, and today The Center has achieved its goal of becoming a broad-based community partnership, promoting youth development in the community through service, outreach and collaboration with like-minded youth-serving organizations.

By providing after-school, weekend and summer programming and facility space for other youth organizations, while partnering on important initiatives to support our young people, The Center has become a hub for impacting the next generation of leaders, families, citizens, and the workforce.