Two years after its opening, the LaSalle Hangout for Youth is in a financial crisis.
The centre offers a safe place for teens to drop-in after school to play games, do their homework or to get some counseling.
It moved into a permanent location earlier this year on Front Rd. near the community pool but due to the number of teens it is helping, it now needs help.
"If we can not raise these funds, we will not be able to pay rent and if we can't pay rent we will have to close the centre," says board member Brian Kovacsi. "That is something all our volunteers are very adamant and youth are very adamant against."
He points out the centre pays $24,000 a year in rent plus another $24,000 in operating and capital expenses such as internet, phone, meals and program supplies.
"What we are looking for hopefully is some sort of community or corporate sponsorship to help out with the finances of paying rent and supporting the programs that we have currently running."
Kovacsi says some people need convincing that the youth centre is needed in a place like LaSalle.
"Some of the issues that we have with our fundraising is when they hear its in LaSalle, its like why would you have a youth centre out there, LaSalle is viewed a as a very affluent, very comfortable place, everyone in LaSalle has a lot of money," he says.
The youth centre is open four days a week from 4pm to 7pm and has an average of 12 to 18 youth in attendance.
The centre is completely run by volunteers.