KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Doris Canaday in Raytown wants to make more space for teens after witnessing a gap when it comes to serving the kids in her community.
“Once you enter into teenagerhood, there's no place for teenagers to be themselves and relax,” she said.
Canaday decided to create that space. The Cave is a safe place for those in 6th grade and above.
“It can save lives, you don’t have to think if your child is in a safe place,” she said. “You don't have to worry about if they went with the wrong crowd or where they’re hanging out.”
She wants to provide what many parents want, peace of mind.
“This space is designed for teens here in the metro area to come out, enjoy and have fun, learn to mingle with each other, and build relationships with everyone in the community,” Canaday said.
She says besides it being a place to eat, hang out, do homework, or game, it’s also where attendees can learn about how to prevent gun violence, build self-confidence and situational awareness.
“Gun violence tremendously affects our community,” Canaday said. “It makes it an unsafe place for people to go. People were terrified to allow their kids to be out, and mine as well.
"But we want to ensure that here at the center, we care about the safety of every child that comes here. They may feel like nobody cares, but we truly do care. And we'd love to let the children know and our teens know that we truly care what you're going through, and your voice matters to us.”
The Cave’s grand opening is Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022.
The space is open six days a week until 10 p.m. Hourly, daily and weekly packages are available.
