NEWS

Momma's House reaches out to youth

Daniel Carson
Reporter

FREMONT- Chari Mullen said she used to work with kids who called her "Momma" when she took them to the store or out in the community.

Out of Mullen's previous experiences came the development of Momma's House Community Development Center, a new downtown Fremont community center geared toward helping Fremont's youth find purpose in their lives and have a positive impact in their communities.

"When we decided to create this center, we said, 'let's just call it Momma's House,'" Mullen said at the new center Thursday.

Mullen, Momma's House founder and CEO, said her organization opened Jan. 12 on Croghan Street and works with middle school and high school students.

She said she wants to help the city's youth develop academically, socially, spiritually and physically, with Momma's House serving as a youth hub center to connect children to community resources.

Mullen said the organization's tag line is "Discovering the Brand of You."

"We want a place where they feel welcomed," Mullen said.

Mullen first started working with area students in 2013 as a youth director at a local church.

At Momma's House, Mullen and other volunteers use a non-traditional school setting to stress a sense of community, employ success coaching and teach good citizenship.

Some of the group's activities so far have centered around respect versus disrespect, how people interpret communication and how students can communicate with parents, authority figures and adults, Mullen said.

She said students are also learning about self-respect in how they dress and behave.

Mullen said she would like to schedule field trips to places like the Hayes Presidential Center and Toledo Art Museum, as well as visits to local board meetings and hikes on area nature trails.

She said students can get applications for Momma's House from their school guidance counselors. The program is free, she said.

Mullen ran a pilot program for Momma's House at the Pontifex center on State Street from 2013-2014. She said she spoke to a lot of parents and family members who wanted a safe location.

The group founder said the Croghan Street location was perfectly located across from Fremont's Birchard Public Library, where the Momma's House students will go occasionally for group activities.

dacarson@gannett.com

419-334-1046

Twitter:@DanielCarson7