There is STILL hope!

I am a dreamer. I always have been. I dream of a better life, appearance, and "what could be." I love to sleep because that's when my dreams can become a semi-reality for me. I play the lottery and even wait a few weeks to check my tickets so I can hang on to the slight possibility that they are life changing winners. My life has been tough, definitely not as tough as it could be and I am thankful for that, but still tough. I know what it's like to grow up with in a single parent household, and to be a "latchkey kid." Now I even know what it's like to be a single parent trying to make it. It is definitely a struggle, especially without a college education and the guidance I really needed to make me understand that the life you lead as a teenager will directly affect the life you will lead as an adult AND even the life or livelihood of your children. It was all these things that led me to my ultimate dream if I ever won the lottery.
Of course the money would directly impact myself, my children and my family and friends, but I would love to do more with it. My dream is to open a 40,000 square foot+(think of Walmart size) non-profit teen center. This would be for ages 10-17 and would be free for all families. It would be completely secure and the only way to get in would be to have a key card. The only way to get a key card would be for the family to go through a screening or interview. This center would be similar to the Y, it would have a pool and offer activites and classes, but it would be so much more. We would offer homework tutors, food,counseling, and peer pressure assistance. We would help with college prep and offer scholarships to those that qualify.
We would offer even positions to older teens so they can make some money, and provide help with managing your money for everyone.
I would love to also have a skatepark on site, as well as gaming tables and free vending machines. This facility would NOT be a babysitting facility, and that would be understood in the screening process-the teens would be free to come and go as they pleased. Of course there would be a security/disciplinary dept-and there would be NO TOLERANCE for drinking, drugs, or sex. This would not cause them to be ejected from the program, but hopefully with the aid of the police dept, be cause for more counseling and peer pressure guidance, and with consent of the parent-sex education. The breaking of the NO TOLERANCE policy would also lead to a suspension of SOME of the activities available to the individual. But mostly I feel this would be a place to go for teens that they can hang out, be safe, and get things that they need but may not be getting at home. I feel this could inspire and possibly change some lives, I am totally committed and one day it will be a reality!