MyndBridge Launches Safe Spaces After Dark for Youth Support

MyndBridge, a nonprofit education and workforce development organization, has launched a groundbreaking initiative called Safe Spaces After Dark in Hempstead, New York. This program aims to provide a safe, structured environment for young people aged 16 to 24 during evening hours, when traditional support services are often unavailable.

Safe Spaces After Dark will serve up to 60 young people in Hempstead, three days a week. The pilot program is set to begin on November 4, 2026, following the registration opening on October 15, 2026. The initiative is part of a broader state effort to support community-based organizations that offer mentoring, mental health services, employment and education support, youth development, job training, and other services to strengthen young people, families, and communities.

The core premise of Safe Spaces After Dark is that young people’s need for support does not end when traditional service hours do. The program will provide a range of services, including stipends, meals, mental health and wellness support, career services, and workforce training. Additionally, participants will have access to mentoring, life-skills development, creative and recreational activities, and connections to additional community resources.

The Safe Spaces After Dark program is a collaborative effort led by MyndBridge, in partnership with LI TEAMWorks, The B.E.S.T. Inc., and The Inspirational Lawyer. These organizations will contribute their expertise and resources to support violence prevention, youth engagement, mentoring, wellness, education, and community support.

Hempstead has been chosen as the pilot community for Safe Spaces After Dark, allowing MyndBridge and its partners to implement the program, evaluate outcomes, and develop a model that can be adapted for other communities. The longer-term vision is to replicate the MyndBridge initiative in Suffolk County and across New York City’s five boroughs, building a local network of partners and referral sources around the model in each community.

Project RISE, the funding structure supporting the Hempstead initiative, is designed to address underlying factors contributing to violence. The Division of Criminal Justice Services identifies building local capacity and strengthening community partnerships as central goals of the initiative.

MyndBridge is also seeking referral partners, volunteers, and organizations interested in supporting the initiative. Additional information regarding eligibility, program hours, registration, and referrals will be available through MyndBridge.