Princeton’s Don J. Schiff donates $50,000 to Second Story Teen Center

Princeton’s Don J. Schiff has announced that he is donating $50,000 to Second Story Teen Center and their efforts to construct a new 6,000 square foot facility on Main Street.

Second Story is a volunteer-led nonprofit 501(c)3 providing resources and after school programs for youth grades 6-12. They also have access to a well-stocked food and clothing youth pantry.

While in the process of creating a more inclusive and accessible facility, Second Story Teen Center is seeking capital campaign sponsors at a variety of levels from $50,000 to $2,500.

Second Story was opened in 2009 by founders Jeff and Dana Van Autreve after hearing about teen suicides in Bureau County and seeing no real place for teens to hang out and be safe.

As owners of Johnson’s Carpet Princeton they decided to offer their vacant second story of the carpet store as a local teen center.

Many of the teens that utilize the center come from challenging homes with one parent, no parents or grandma or an aunt who provides what they can. Many lack good basic hygienic guidance, clothing and basic foods according to Schiff.

Schiff has been involved with the teen center as a volunteer and knows what many of these kids have to go through.

Schiff stated that he ran away from home at age 14 after his alcoholic step dad beat him and threatened his life. Later when his drunk parents passed out, Schiff took an empty pillow case, loaded it with as much of his personal belongings as he could before he left home and never looked back.

Schiff is now retired after working several years in the financial world and wants to pay it forward to the kids at Second Story and plans to continue helping them have a better start in their career paths and lives.