NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: Connect Center For Youth
Photos by Elissa Ebersold
“I’ve heard a lot of people come in here and tell me they wish they had a place like this to belong growing up.”
The Connect Center for Youth in Cohoes, New York, is the kind of neighborhood hangout every kid deserves—a vibrant, welcoming space full of creativity, mentorship, and opportunity.
Housed in the basement of an old cathedral on Johnston Avenue, the Connect Center is anything but traditional. It’s where kids make tortillas from scratch in a professional kitchen, design murals in the cafeteria, and record music in a fully equipped studio, all under one roof. The building itself, retrofitted from a former church, carries a group character built by hand with a lot of love. In many ways, the Connect Center feels like new life growing through old infrastructure; a group of dandelions rising through the cracks of brick and mortar to feed, enrich, and care for the community around them.
Founded by an RPI business grad and former chef, Ben Williams, and inspired by his father—a local pastor who dedicated his life to helping others—the Connect Center began with a simple but powerful idea: give Cohoes’ youth a safe, enriching space to learn and grow, while also creating a sense of ownership and pride in their community.
“Cohoes is a no-bussing district,” Williams explains during our visit. “We saw kids walking home alone after school, either heading straight back home or hanging out in places that weren’t helping them grow.”
Connect Center for Youth encourages a third option where kids can stay, feel seen, and be part of something bigger.
Ground broke on the Connect Center in 2012 and it has grown slowly but meaningfully over the past decade. With no major donors and no debt, the 5,000 plus square foot space is the result of steady, hands-on community effort. Every room in the Center has a growing purpose and, in many cases, a story. When I visited it was Taco Day, and the cafeteria was buzzing. Half the kids were in the Connect Kitchen, rolling out fresh tortillas, while the others were gathered on the far wall sketching ideas for their next mural. I watched one student show off their tortilla press, while another pointed at the mural design and told me, “We’re coloring each flower a different color to represent our emotions.”
The Center’s programs are intentionally diverse, blending creativity and technical skills with a focus on exploration. In the STEAM Lab, kids can record songs in the music studio, try out DJ equipment, or take turns in the e-sports room. Williams, a music lover himself, lights up when talking about this space.
“We have kids come in and make full raps in our studio. It’s awesome. The music studio is like my baby.”
Plans are underway to expand this area into Stage 49, a media production studio with green screens, editing equipment, and a collaborative film space. Next door is the tech hub, where kids can learn everything in basic computer essentials.
The idea isn’t just to entertain, it’s to equip and enrich. Kids here aren’t just consuming content, they’re learning to create it in workshops that expand their capacity to invent, experiment, and innovate. In addition to its youth programming, the Connect Center operates with a deeply rooted sense of responsibility to the wider Cohoes community. Alongside the creative spaces are community fridges and a small food pantry, stocked regularly with fresh ingredients. Families can stop by and pick up what they need, no questions asked. It’s another example of the Center meeting people where they are, removing barriers, and creating access.
The goal is to double the Center’s physical capacity and offer even more structured activities, health programs, and youth services under one roof. When completed, the space will include a gymnasium, classroom, computer lab, fitness area, recreation lounge, offices, and more.
“We’re providing antipoverty workshops. I’ve heard a lot of people come in here and tell me they wish they had a place like this to belong growing up,” Williams says.
It’s a local example of a universal truth: when you invest in kids and community, the return keeps paying off. Walking through the building, what stands out most isn’t the equipment or the colorful, chaotic murals—it’s the energy. The kids are confident. They know this place is for them and that’s something every community deserves.
The Connect Center is always looking for passionate volunteers to support its programs and help expand its impact. Whether you’re interested in mentoring, teaching a workshop, or lending a hand during events, your time can make a difference. Learn more or get involved at connectcenterforyouth.org, or follow along on Instagram @connectcenterforyouth.
