DULUTH – Neighborhood Youth Services, a nearly 30-year-old pillar of Duluth's Central Hillside neighborhood, will continue working with kids uninterrupted after another nonprofit stepped in this week to save it from closure.

Duluth's Life House scrambled quickly following the news that the Hills Youth and Family Services was not only ending its residential behavioral health services, but also its day treatment and community offerings, including Neighborhood Youth Services (NYS).

"This is a critical site" for a neighborhood dealing with economic, racial and health disparities, Life House Executive Director Jordon Johnson said of NYS, housed in the Washington Recreation Center, 310 N. 1st Av. W.

"We are still emerging from the pandemic," he said. "To ensure families these services are here no matter what is vital."

NYS offers meals, homework help, counseling, clothing, space to play sports and other life-building resources. Its purpose dovetails neatly with what Life House offers, which includes emergency and transitional housing for teens and adults ages 14 to 24, officials said.

NYS' staff members are like "a second family, and to some, a first family" to kids, said program director Pez Davila. "To provide that stability for them in a place that's safe every day, that's what it's all about."

Aaron Gelineau has worked at NYS for 25 years. Twelve students who regularly use its services graduated from Denfeld High School this month, he said, four of whom were tutored intensely by Davila.

"The ripple effect on the community would have been devastating," Gelineau said, had the organization closed.

Employees of NYS, which serves about 50 school-age youth a day year-round, will be employed by Life House as of Monday. Life House has taken over the lease of the building, owned by the city of Duluth. NYS lost its van in the shuffle, which was used to get kids to work, school, field trips or to pick up food donations. It welcomes community help in buying a new one, officials said.

Northwood Children's Services is exploring the addition of the Hills' three day treatment programs in West Duluth, Hermantown and eastern Duluth, its president and CEO Richard Wolleat said Friday.

"It's our mission to provide behavioral services to kids, and there are 40 kids who require intensive mental health services who won't get it" otherwise, he said, noting the organization was looking to act quickly to minimize disruption to services.

Jana Hollingsworth • 218-508-2450