Moses Teen Center

By opening the doors of the Moses Teen Center to the Knoxville Community, teens have a safe, positive place to go after school and in the summer that is exclusively for teens. Today the Moses Teen Center serves more than 500 teens annually, including at least 50 teens on a daily basis during the school year and approximately 90 a day in the summer. Teens participate in programs dealing with: character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts and sports, fitness and recreation. Program activities within these core program areas are uniquely designed to meet the interests and developmental needs of teenagers.

The Moses Teen Center began with a vision from Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley CEO John D. Lee. Mr. Lee was notified by the City of Knoxville that the Moses Center was becoming available for purchase and visited the vacant former school building located in the Old Mechanicsville community. Upon his visit, he envisioned the lower floor as a vibrant, functioning teen center. He also saw the potential for other businesses to occupy the building, offsetting the cost of utilities to operate the Teen Center. Upon careful review by the agency’s property committee and corporate board of directors, the Boys and Girls Club acquired the property. The Moses Teen Center began serving teens in 1997. The organization began a Capital Campaign to raise funds needed for Moses Teen Center renovations that began in 1988 and were completed in 1999.

The teens were able to attend the Teen Center during the renovations, utilizing the areas of the Teen Center that were not being renovated at that time. On March 11, 1999, the Moses Teen Center was finished; complete with an education center, game room, arts room, club room and gymnasium.

To assist in delivering programs that meet the needs and interests of teens, the Moses developed several key partnerships, including a partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank. Currently there are sixteen Boys and Girls Clubs located in various counties. Six of those clubs receive food and/or snacks through Kids Café, a program of Second Harvest.

CEO John D. Lee said, “Second Harvest has been working with the Boys and Girls Club since 1991 and we truly value our relationship.”  We at Second Harvest feel the same way. It is a joy to work with an agency with such a worthwhile mission.