05/28/2026
Hello!!
We are writing to invite you to invest in the young people of the Hanover-Horton community through The Xchange Teen Center. Since opening our doors in 2018, The Teen Center has provided local middle and high school students with a safe, consistent place to belong after school. The teen center is faithfully supported by community members who believe teens thrive when they have connection, caring adults, and positive experiences. 💫Today, we are the strongest we have ever been with four
dedicated staff, caring volunteers and the largest group of teens so far!! ❤️ Because of this we’re asking donors like you to help sustain and expand this life-altering work.
We are pleased to share some exciting highlights that have been happening at the teen center in the past year. Our Executive Director, Melanie Kittel, is in her second program year, and continues to bring passion, vision, and a deep commitment to our students. With her inclusive approach of inviting teens, both public and homeschooled, the teen center is now open three days a week, serving an average of 25 students per day. Many of our teens carry responsibilities far beyond their years—caring for siblings, spending long hours home alone—so we teach them how to cook, how to care for others, how to be confident in the everyday tasks life asks of them. We noticed right away that feeding the students a full meal each day was necessary, and so that need has been consistently met by the gracious support of our community. Much of our daily programming speaks to these
kinds of needs and support.
Some of the teen center activities are designed to focus on having fun. We have explored sewing, soap carving, door decorating, kickball, crafting, jewelry making, a carnival day celebration, and much more! Our students also have opportunities to serve others: filling socks for the homeless, hosting a Veterans’ Day celebration, and community clean-up efforts, to name a few. We have even welcomed a school social worker to the center, who volunteers her time and skills a few days each month!! 🤩
With your support, we can keep our doors open so that every student who wants to participate can. Here is the impact your
support makes:
☺️When you give to the teen center, you are providing space for teens to be seen, valued, and heard. With that sturdy
foundation they build friendships, ask questions, and learn more about themselves.
☺️Your gift makes real-world learning through field trips and hands-on experiences possible. In these moments, our students grow in confidence, practice communication, and discover new interests.
☺️With the donations we receive, guest speakers are invited to speak to the teens on mental health issues (su***de
prevention, depression, etc.), life skills (banking/budgeting), and safety (abduction awareness and internet safety).
In 2026 and beyond, our commitment remains the same. We plan to continue meeting three days a week in downtown Hanover with engaging programming, mentorship, and opportunities for personal and social development.
Funding from donors helps cover the daily costs that make the center possible—supplies, snacks, programming materials, training, and the operational needs required to welcome students week after week.
Your donation today keeps the teen center open tomorrow. Please consider a gift at a level that’s meaningful to you. Donations can be mailed to PO Box 24, Hanover, MI 49241. We also accept PayPal at [email protected].
If your employer offers a matching-gift program, contact us for the information needed. We also have a new way to support the center, by Qualified Charitable Distribution. A QCD allows IRA holders aged 70½ or older to donate directly from their Traditional or
Roth IRA to a qualified charity tax-free. For anyone interested in this type of gifting, we can help.
Thank you for believing in the mission of the teen center and for investing in the students of our community!!
The Xchange Teen Center Board:
Wendy Valentine, President
Michelle Coats, Vice President
Liz Scott / Kim West, Treasurer
Amy Sherman, Secretary
LeTesha Phillips, Grant Writer
Dean Thorne, Trustee
Jamie Dittenber, Trustee
Stephanie Bosanac-Mortimer, Trustee
Quinn Phillips, Teen Trustee
Jeff Waltz (HHMS Principal), Trustee
