Delphi Rise will hold a grand opening Sept. 30 for Anchor Pointe, a new Newark community space serving young people ages 12 to 24.
The event is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Alex Eligh Community Center and will include tours, guest speakers, poets, music, food trucks and vendors.
Anchor Pointe was developed through the state Office of Mental Health's Youth Safe Spaces initiative. The program is intended to give teens and young adults a welcoming place to connect, take part in activities, build relationships and find support in their community.
The Newark site is a partnership involving Delphi Rise, the Alex Eligh Community Center and the Office of Mental Health. Organizers said it will bring together young people from different backgrounds and experiences while providing an accessible resource in Wayne County.
Program designed for connection and support
“Anchor Pointe is about creating a space where young people know they belong,” said Tina Hicks, program director at Delphi Rise. “We want youth and young adults in our community to have somewhere they can come as they are, meet new people, participate in activities and know there are people here to support them.”
The state launched the Youth Safe Spaces initiative in response to feedback from young people who said they lacked welcoming places in their communities. The Office of Mental Health describes the spaces as peer-led, nonclinical programs that offer resources and connections for people ages 12 to 24.
Delphi Drug and Alcohol Council of Wayne County, which operates as Delphi Rise, was among four nonprofit organizations selected in 2025 to share $7.5 million in state funding for Youth Safe Spaces. State materials identify Newark as the location of the Wayne County program.
The grand opening is open to community members, local leaders, youth-serving organizations and members of the media. The Alex Eligh Community Center is in Newark, and the program is expected to operate as a community-based resource for young people throughout the area.
Delphi Rise provides substance use disorder treatment, prevention and education, housing, reentry services and other community support programs across Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes region. The organization said it has served individuals, families and communities for 90 years.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.