Dauphin County nonprofit youth program looking for new home

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A nonprofit youth program in Dauphin County is looking for a new home, trying to raise $200,000 to buy their own space.

The nonprofit, Youth 10 X’s Better, needs a new space to host the many programs they run for kids. The lease on their current space is up in less than a month.

The group is gearing up for another year of after-school activities for kids in Dauphin County.

“We have cooking classes, we have art classes,” founder James Lyles said. “All year long, after school programming.”

However, the lack of a new space is posing a problem. During the summer, space isn’t a major concern. Lyles is focusing on programs that don’t need a physical location, like Reading Better for the Cheddar, which encourages kids to read.

“We pay them $2 for every book report they do,” Lyles said.

He wants the program to promote education.

“We have kids that can’t read or write, they can’t even write their name, and they’re not encouraged to do it,” he said.

Kids can also turn in their report cards and get a free bike for good grades. Lyles said these programs promote not just education, but physical activity.

“A lot of kids now stay home. You give them a bicycle, they got to come out, you can’t ride it in the house,” he said.

On Saturday, Lyles brought those bikes to DaySpring Ministries’ annual Community Day.

“It’s our focus of taking the church outside the four walls to the community,” senior pastor Darryl Godlock said.

Lyles has been a pastor at DaySpring for decades

“We partner with Youth 10 X’s Better in a bike giveaway and school supplies,” Godlock said.

Now, Lyles hopes his community can help support his nonprofit.

“We’re kind of looking for an in-kind donation. Some place that already has the place, but they don’t have the community, they don’t have the kids. I have that,” he said.

Lyles said he is hoping the nonprofit can raise enough money to buy their next location, so they do not face this issue again.