According to the U.S. Department of Health, as many as 15 million of our children are known as ‘Latchkey Kids’- that is, they are returning to empty homes after school. With the financial demands placed on families by today’s society, it is commonplace to have both parents working. It is challenging, and potentially expensive, for families to find supervision for their children. This is where the Babylon Village Youth Project comes in. The Youth Project is open Monday-Thursday, from 3-7pm, and Friday, from 3-10pm just the time when kids need supervision the most. The center is open to youth ages 8-18 and conveniently located at 56 Park Ave. in Babylon Village.

The Youth Project has many programs focusing on wellness issues including tutoring, art classes, drug prevention, and other supervised activities. Everyday, there is homework help available from 3:00-4:30. Every Friday night, a movie night is held starting at 7pm, and there are trips available on the weekends. The center features a big screen color TV, VCR, DVD player, stereos, all modern video game systems (including X-BOX), and plenty of computers with internet access that kids can use for homework.

Currently, there are between 150-200 kids who are involved in the Youth Project, and membership is free of charge to all Town of Babylon residents. The center has ample supervision and homework help available during the entire drop-in. For more information go to www.bvyp.org, call the Youth Project at (631) 587-7117, or stop in during normal business hours.