The Neutral Zone

In 1998, a group of Ann Arbor teens gathered to discuss the need for a place where teens could congregate after school and on weekends. From the very beginning, they felt this place should be more than just a hangout; that is could be a safe place to make new friends, mix with youth from different backgrounds, explore new ideas, learn new skills and do it all in a setting that was teen friendly and teen driven. Teens wrote the mission statement and the first grant proposal to the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation and, with seed money in hand, enlisted parents and friends to turn an old brick and timber warehouse into a teen center.
It’s been years since that original group of teens realized their dream and they have moved on with their lives. Their legacy lives on, however, in the Neutral Zone’s mission statement. From that first handful of teens, attendance has grown to more than 16,000 visits a year. Today, in addition to drop-in and free tutoring after school, the Neutral Zone offers more than 20 programs in the areas of Education, Literary Arts, Community Leadership, Music and the Visual Arts. However, the Neutral Zone is just not a place. It is the sum total of all of the teens who come through its doors. Their energy, creativity, passion and ideas, shape and direct our programs and activities.