Street Therapy grand opening event

SALISBURY, Md. - A new youth center in Salisbury is opening its doors with the goal of giving children and teenagers a free place to learn, spend time with friends and connect with mentors.

Street Therapy Learning and Recreation Center celebrated its grand opening Monday. The center serves children ages 7 to 17 and includes areas for recreation, games, academic activities and team-building programs.

Founder and owner Byron Coulbourn said the center is designed to give young people a place where they can learn, have fun and grow.

"It's a place where kids can learn. It's a place where kids can have fun. It's a place where kids can elevate in life," Coulbourn said.

Coulbourn said the center includes a recreation area, a quiet and game room and space that can be used for learning activities and team-building exercises.

The programming is free, something Coulbourn said was important because financial challenges and transportation issues can prevent some children from taking part in activities.

"Some parents don't have it all," Coulbourn said. "I found out with the type of work that I do, it's a lack of transportation. It's a lack of financials. So what happens is that the parents can't provide for the kids, and who loses out? The kid does."

The center also plans to provide one-on-one mentorship, workforce development and gun diversion programming. Coulbourn said the goal is to combine those services to give young people different forms of support in one place.

Partner Wendell Hitch said mentorship is a major part of that mission.

"A lot of kids don't have people to come to," Hitch said. "They don't have that trusted adult or that trusted family member or just that person in general, where they can come and say, hey, I need some advice."

Hitch said the center is intended to serve both young men and young women and give them a safe place to spend time after school and on weekends.

Fifteen-year-old Shemar Moore said he believes the center can help young people regardless of their past choices.

"No matter what your story is, no matter what you did in life, even if you got bad choices," Moore said. "Either way, he's going to help you build you together."

Coulbourn said he hopes the Salisbury location is only the beginning. Looking ahead, he said he wants Street Therapy to eventually expand to multiple parts of the city.

"We got one building here," Coulbourn said. "I want one building on the north, the south, the east and the west of Salisbury."