Rockford nonprofit opens new City Life Center for youth to play, connect with mentors

August 28, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Trending, Positive & Uplifting, Rock River Current, 815 News, Local, Rockford

Community services officer Sherrell Woods shoots a shot on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, at the new City Life Center in Rockford. At right is Brent Johnson, whose company Ringland-Johnson Construction led the work to build the center. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our mobile app

ROCKFORD — Stateline Youth for Christ cut the ribbon on Thursday on its new City Life Center, a former warehouse that has been transformed into a place for youth to gather, play and connect with adult mentors invested in their well-being.

The faith-based nonprofit renovated the former Carlson Distributors at 2501 Charles St., across from Rockford Plaza and adjacent to Kegel’s Bicycle Store. The location was selected because of its nearby proximity to East High School and Lincoln Middle School, giving youth ages 11-19 a walkable path to the center.

“We hope that when youth come in here they’re going to be blown away at the types of activities that they can do,” said Haddon Anderson, executive director of Stateline Youth for Christ. “It’s a very warm, friendly, inviting space — whether they want to go to the art room, play games, go to the fitness area, video games, grab a meal — but most importantly they have adult mentors invested in their lives and opportunity to learn about God.”

The nonprofit has a second phase planned for empty land next to the building. That’s where a future basketball gymnasium would be built. There is no set timeline for that portion of the project.

For now, the center has activities such as foosball, arcade-style basketball, table tennis, pool, a small weight room, an art room, multipurpose classroom, a place for video games and other activities. The nonprofit also has programs designed to help youth develop healthy social and emotional skills.

“This is so much more than bricks and mortar, this is really a home for so many youth who really need it, especially right now,” Mayor Tom McNamara said. “It’s a place that they can be cared for, a place that they can be loved, a place that they can feel that they belong.”

Stateline Youth for Christ’s new City Life Center opened Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, at 2501 Charles St. in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

The opening comes about five months after the nonprofit broke ground on the project. The design was done by Rockford-based 1919 Architects and built by Ringland-Johnson Construction.

“It feels like this changed overnight,” Caitlin Pusateri, chief operating officer of the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce, said before the ribbon-cutting. “We were here just not that long ago to celebrate the groundbreaking.”

McNamara gave credit to the nonprofit for its site selection, which put the center in an area where it can reach thousands of youth without the need to worry about transportation.

“They look for a need, and then say that’s where the building needs to be,” McNamara said. “How this center is going to where the people are who need it the most, makes this so special.”

People cheer after Haddon Anderson, center, cuts the ribbon on the new City Life Center on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, at 2501 Charles St. in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Youth for Christ strives to connect young people across the city with adult mentors and offer programs designed to support them mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The center is also open to any young people who walk in.

“Kids who need to be connected to healthy adult mentors, now have a space where they can come and be a part of this,” Anderson said. “We hope that there’s some neat life transformation that happens here.”