Gary youth center mentors at-risk kids

GARY, Ind. - A Gary youth center is rising from the ashes after it was devastated by a fire. 

The 'I Am Them' Foundation provides mentorship, support and education to at-risk youth.

"You've been following us since our journey from the beginning and, of course, we started this in honor of my two brothers that were killed," I Am Them Foundation creator Aaliyah Stewart said.  

Stewart, 23, lost both of her brothers in separate incidents to gun violence. In 2021, she purchased a building and began turning it into a youth center. Her dream was to provide a safe space for kids.   

"Our ultimate plan is to really create a safe haven within the community, where the children are able to come, they're able to be themselves, they're able to be children," she said. 

Those dreams were deferred when a fire devastated the property.  

"God really had a plan for us, and he really sent some angels to lead us to this building to house our facility," she said as she stood in her new youth center on the corner of West 14th Avenue and Grant Street in Gary.

The center is currently hosting a summer camp where kids are learning art and science from volunteer teachers. Jaylynn Dodson has been a part of the program for three years.  

"The environment that we created around here is just something for me to do in the summers instead of me staying in the house ... I can come here, interact, I meet many great friends," said Dodson.  

Once the school year begins, the I Am Them Foundation will remain open for after-school programs.   

"Our biggest pride and joy for having this facility and being able to work with the children is being able to know that they are affected by the joy that we bring them, just being a beacon of hope," Stewart said.   

"Teaching the kids that no matter what you go through or where you come from, you have potential… I think my brothers are very proud of me," she said. 

 So far, sixty Gary kids have signed up for the ‘I Am Them’ Foundation’s after-school programs.