Loft to move into new home in 2026

FINDLAY — The Loft has finally found its forever home. Following stints meeting at a former gymnasium on Carlin Street, the fourth floor of a West Crawford Street building and currently Glenwood Middle School, the drop-in center for youth will move into a former home at 1908 N. Main St., possibly as early as February or March. A major remodeling project is now underway on the building owned by Family Resource Center. The staff will then have to painting and furnishing the center. Focus Recovery & Wellness Community is purchasing the property. It is will be the first building owned by the nonprofit agency, according to Program Director Heidi Barilla, who oversees both the adult and youth programs. Focus assists adults at 509 W. Trenton Ave., while its program for 10-17-year-olds is called the Loft. The center opened in 2019 to support youth who have been impacted by oppression, adversity or trauma. The new location was formerly offices for Family Resource Center. Focus is renovating the first floor to include a kitchen for cooking classes, a meeting room, separate podcast rooms for youth and adults, offices, an area for programming and lounges. There will also be a sensory room, said CJ Boggs, Loft program lead. Youth who are on the spectrum with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disorder can get overloaded. The room will feature a number of pieces of special equipment like bubble lights that chage color and bean bag chairs that give these children a place to take a break. There is also a large backyard. With support from its parent agency, Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, Focus won a $375,000 state grant to afford the youth center and related renovations. As part of the grant terms, Focus must raise a match of $125,000 by March 2026. Barilla said a team is working on raising the funds. Focus came up with the idea to create a youth center because there was a need in the community, she said. The first space was on Carlin Street. "That location was kind of a barrior for youth to get to with the transportation here in Hancock County," she said. A few years later, the Loft moved to the fourth floor of 129 E. Crawford St. Most recently, they're meeting in Glenwood's community room. Boggs said the current location is more central. "It's safer in my opinion, being at the school. It just seems to work out a little better," he said. "And our new space is basically catercornered from the school. It's going to be a really nice, easy transition." RCM and Alvada Construction are doing the remodeling work, she added. "They're busting down walls and pretty well gutting the whole building," she said. "It's a solid foundation, but there's work there that needs done." The kitchen was pink and the bathroom was yellow. "There was a trash compactor in the kitchen. It was very dated," Boggs said. "We have a great floor plan for the space. And what I love about that is the team was included in creating that." They also listened to the youth because they are the ones who will be using it, he said. They have decided to keep the doors off of the rooms because it's just going to be "free and open," said Barilla. "And youth need to be supervised." Camera systems will be installed both inside and out, and there will be plenty of staff onsite during open hours, said Boggs. The number of youth now visiting the center varies from day to day. Boggs said lately there have been 20-25 a day. "We have people from all walks of life who come in here with all types of different issues," said Barilla. This is a place where they can belong, she said. Some just come to play bingo. Others come for the support group. Older youth may also participate in the Peer Pals program which teaches them leadership and mentorship skills as well as how to work with the younger ones. They can receive volunteer hours through the program. Boggs said the new center will also offer extended hours from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday to better accommodate homeschool students and those who participate in online classes and extracurricular activities. The hours now are 3:30-6 p.m. on weekdays. There are also snacks and help with homework. Several activities are offered each day such as a cooking class that teaches a life skill, said Boggs While the majority of the youth who use the center are from Hancock County, Boggs said no one is turned away. They also get referrals from the courts connected to juvenile probation. "Maybe kids are having some issues in school," said Barilla. "But it's not like the typical treatments you have to get help. It's volunteer based. Sometimes a kid walks in the door and they're not talking to anybody. They don't want to do a group activity. Then you'll see throughout time, now they're leading a group or helping out with a group." "We're always trying to think of ideas to get the kids involved," Boggs added.