After-School Safe House Moving to Larger Facility

Call it a new place to call home.

An after-school safe house in South-Central Los Angeles known as A Place Called Home has outgrown its space in the back of a church on West Adams Boulevard and is getting ready to move to a much larger facility on Central Avenue.

“It went from 40 children to 500 children,” said Debrah Constance, the founder and executive director of the safe house.

Constance envisions the new building as a “live art center,” where there will be a recording studio, an art room and a gym for yoga, in addition to a classroom for tutoring sessions.

“This is going to be the most successful youth center in Los Angeles,” Constance said. “It’s going to be more like L.A. Sports Club,” an upscale health club in West Los Angeles.

The move to the new structure is expected to begin in a few weeks, Constance said, and a grand opening will be held in October to coincide with the third anniversary of A Place Called Home.

Constance and staff members have been busy raising funds for the new center. She has already leased, with the option to buy, the building at 2830 S. Central Ave. using funds from private donors.

Actress Jasmine Guy stepped in to help by offering painters and paint, Constance said. Guy and her sister, Monica, will be teaching dance classes once the center opens.

But Constance is not shy about admitting that she needs more donations for the center. It is funded solely from private donations and does not receive any government assistance, she said.

Constance started the nonprofit center nearly three years ago to give students at Jefferson High School a safe place to hang out after school.

Nothing identifiable with gangs is allowed once the youths step through the doors of the center. There, they are part of Constance’s gang. The youngsters also are forbidden to bring in guns, alcohol, drugs or any notions of bigotry.

Instead, the youngsters are encouraged to play on computers or exercise on weight machines. Constance also runs a gangster’s anonymous meeting, modeled after the 12-step program used by recovering addicts. Tutors also are available to dropouts who want to study for their high school equivalency exams.

Information: (213) 232-7653.