Safe NYE Alternative Offered for Local Teens at The Bridge

ORLAND PARK, IL – Online sign-up is now open for The Bridge Teen Center’s New Year’s Eve Party on December 31, 2019 from 9:30PM until 12:30AM. This event is open to teens in 7th through 12th grade who are members of The Bridge Teen Center. Students who are not currently members can complete a FREE student membership application online at thebridgeteencenter.org.

Although the New Year’s Eve party is free, students are encouraged to donate Clorox wipes or paper towels to support The Bridge’s Teen Center’s free programs and events. The theme this year is “Choose Adventure”, around which several activities, games and art projects are planned. There will also be free food provided by Giordano’s and Nothing Bundt Cakes. Sparkling cider will also be served following a midnight toast.

New Year’s Eve parties are often unsupervised events in which underage teens can freely consume drugs and alcohol. Every year, these events lead to headlines in the next day’s newspaper that involve overdoses, drunk driving, or worse. The Bridge is proud to offer a free and safe alternative which will allow parents to bring their teens somewhere they know they will be safe, supervised, and entertained in a positive environment. More than 150 students are expected to attend this year’s New Year’s Eve party.

"The Bridge is the perfect place for teens to spend their New Year’s Eve,” said Priscilla Steinmetz, Founder of The Bridge Teen Center. "This is our 9th annual New Year’s Eve Party and every year we get more excited about the event. Since 2010, we have kept over 1,000 students safe on New Year’s Eve. Who knows how many life-altering or life-ending incidents we have prevented. This event is something we are very proud to offer, and it is something our students really look forward to.”

In addition to events like the New Year’s Eve Party, the Bridge Teen Center is home to a number of different afterschool programs and weekly entertainment events for teens. All free, the Bridge’s programs help introduce students to new skills, ideas, and experiences. Beginning in January, a brand new semester begins that includes 109 different afterschool programs designed exclusively for teens. For more information, visit thebridgeteencenter.org.

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The Bridge Teen Center is a nationally-recognized nonprofit community center that was designed around the needs and interests of suburban teens. The Bridge provides more than 350 FREE holistic afterschool programs and events each year. Since 2010, over 8,200+ unique students from 128 different communities have been served. The Bridge receives no government funding, relying entirely on individuals, businesses, and foundations in the community to support our free programs. More than 90% of all contributions directly support the students we serve. The Bridge Teen Center is also supported by The Bridge Thrift Store, which raises 30% of the organization’s annual operating budget and also provides ongoing job readiness and community service opportunities for teens. For more information, call 708.532.0500 visit thebridgeteencenter.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.