By: Gavin Schweiger, Follow South Jersey Community Journalist
SALEM. N.J. – The Salem Building Arts Center (SBAC) held a ribbon cutting on Saturday, August 16, to celebrate the building’s first year open and new programs that will be implemented.
SBAC, in the heart of Salem city, is supported by the non-profit organizations Allied Resources for Kids, Hopeloft, and Stand Up for Salem, and runs programs to teach skills and provide certifications to help people in their careers and to become better members of their community.
“Today we’re in the Salem Building Arts Center. I don’t need to really describe too much of it. Looking around the room, most of you had a hand in the developing of it,” said Bill Helmbrecht, executive director of Allied Resources for Kids. “And through Stand Up for Salem, who owns this facility and had the design of it, they have appointed us to be the first program operator of it. And we’re honored and excited for that opportunity.”
Two new programs that the center will offer are the Career Now and YouthBuild programs.
The Career Now program will help high school students learn career skills and even earn certifications while still going to school.
“We’ll have students come from Salem High School, spend half of their school day here learning vocational work, learning financial literacy, those types of things and earning credit, high school credits here,” said Starrchild Jackson, event specialist and strategic projects coordinator at the SBAC.
The YouthBuild program is a grant Hopeloft earned to teach youth carpentry and construction skills and to give them hands-on experience. YouthBuild students built bat boxes and birdhouses, as well as a shed behind the SBAC building this summer. They can earn certifications and even receive stipends for their participation, according to Cameron Hudson, director for YouthBuild and project manager at Hopeloft.
“Whatever their goals are in life, we help them get closer to that [through YouthBuild],” said Hudson. “We give them the skills to go out and build their own communities.”
During the event, Salem Mayor Jody Veler shared in the excitement around the ribbon cutting, as she worked for Stand Up for Salem and helped secure the building.
“It was so bad, in such a bad condition,” Veler said. “It was a long time in coming for this building to get open. But I’m thrilled that it finally is, and with all the great plans that we have here, with Allied Resources and Hopeloft and Stand Up for Salem, that we’re going to be able to train a workforce to turn our housing issues around as well.”
Veler then declared August 16 “Salem Building Arts Center Day” in Salem City.
“All residents are urged to support and help the program make a powerful impact on the youth of Salem and benefit the entire city and its future,” Veler said.
The event continued with a tour of the building and three workshops in painting, mosaics, and woodworking. Dionne Avant, who participated in the mosaic workshop, was able to connect to how kids taking part in the programs would feel.
“I definitely can have a sense of how they’ll [kids participating at SBAC] feel doing this.” Avant said. “Some of the trepidation they might go through, but the release of saying, ‘Hey, I can do just about anything I want and it’ll still come out beautifully in the form of art.’”
Janis Crawford, a painting workshop participant, found the building “beautiful” and wished to see something directed to senior citizens.
“I mean, the kids need something to do around here. I agree with that,” Crawford said. “But the seniors need something to do too, extra. Maybe a cooking class, a bake off or something like that.”
Nonetheless, many were excited for the center’s progress and its goals for helping Salem youth and community members.
“This is the future. This is like the best thing for Salem. The best thing we’ve got honestly,” said Terrell Seals, a painting instructor at SBAC. “We need like three more of these in every town. Today is a great event.”
To see and hear more about the event, watch the video below.
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