GREENFIELD — The Landing Place, which has been a refuge for troubled teens the past seven years, has closed its doors for the remainder of the year due to the ongoing threat of COVID-19.
Executive director Linda Ostewig called the decision to close “heartbreaking.”
The board decided Wednesday morning, Dec. 9, to close the facility, at 18 W. South St. in Greenfield, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among volunteers and the youths they serve.
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“This has been a very hard decision for us to make,” said Ostewig.
“My heart for my students and what we do there is my passion and purpose. I can no longer watch the numbers rise and see people one after another get sick or lose their life, and keep The Landing open. We will keep an eye on the numbers and hopefully re-open in January and have our Christmas party then as well,” she said.
The Greenfield gathering place is a popular spot for youths ages 13 to 18 to come together and find support. Many deal with mental health issues like anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies or self harm. Some are confronting addiction and recovery. Others are dealing with bullying at school or abusive situations at home.
“We offer a place for our students to learn how to live through mental health and depression, addiction and recovery,” said Ostewig. “We give them the life skills they need to learn how to make better life choices.”
The Landing served roughly 60 youths per week before COVID hit, but those numbers have dropped to roughly 20 a week in recent months.
While the facility is closed, Ostewig said the young people it serves will still be able to get in touch with board members and volunteers for support.
“We will continue to see anyone and help with any needs the students may have, and be there for those who need one-on-one counseling. We also are able to see adults one-on-one for recovery coaching,” she said.
The young people The Landing serves need a little extra support around the holidays, Ostewig said.
“Every week we’ve been giving them gift cards to local restaurants, providing meals and hygiene products. They just need a place sometimes to come in and where they can be safe and really share what’s going on in their life,” she said.
