Youth Center Opens At Neshaminy Mall In Bensalem

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —Penni Morton and her husband were seeking storage space for their Kamp for Kids program at the Neshaminy Mall. But the mall offered so much space that Morton came up with another idea.

The Youth Center By Kamp For Kids opened last Friday, providing activities for children and teenagers between the ages of 11 and 19.

Morton is the director of community relations for Kamp for Kids, which she founded with her husband. The organization offers free camps and programs to children with autism and youth at risk in Philadelphia and its surrounding communities.

The Feasterville resident was seeking some storage space and reached out to the mall. The mall provided 1,100 square feet, way more than a storage closet.

"When we saw the space they were giving us, it was too nice to use for storage, so we decided to use it as a youth center instead, which aligns with the mission of Kamp for Kids," she told Patch Thursday. "Neshaminy Mall graciously donated the space."

After a six-to-eight-month process, Morton opened the youth center as a free space for kids who want to hang out. Morton said she had about 30 kids show up for the first weekend along with their parents and grandparents.

"Kids can come and go as they please as long as they sign in," she said. "But this is not a daycare and we don't do babysitting."

Instead, the youth center offers ping-pong and pool tables, a gaming system, and a basketball setup for shooting free throws like the ones seen at carnivals, Morton said.

The mall also donated some more space that is being used as a food pantry, clothing closet, school supply area, and other items kids may need, Morton said.

She said the center is mainly open on weekends for now and going forward will open when school lets out and for support groups as well.

A formal grand opening and ribbon cutting will take place at 1 p.m. on March 24, Morton said.

Among invited guests include:

• Regina Rausch, Pennsbury School District Director of Special Education
• Bob Harvie, Bucks County Commissioner
• Jamiel Owens, CHOP
• Mallory Perotti, Bucks County Drug & Alcohol Commission
• Ashli Servis, YMCA
• Justin Sturkey, deputy of the Pathfinder program
• Rebecca Jordan, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
• Chris Polzer, Bristol Township Assistant Schools Superintendent