More Than Services: How The Kickback Let Youth Just Show Up

Thank you to the Junior League of Columbus for sponsoring the day, to Anthem for supporting period care supplies in recognition of National Period Poverty Awareness Week, and to Star House for co-hosting and their years dedicated to youth in Columbus.

Teenagers teaching each other new skateboarding tricks, showing off fresh haircuts to friends, playing giant chess and Connect Four in the grass. These are the scenes you expect to see as kids celebrate the last few weeks of school and look ahead to summer. On Monday, though, those moments unfolded in and outside of Star House, Columbus’ drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness.

By the end of the afternoon, more than 100 guests aged 14-24 had connected with services ranging from Hepatitis C and HIV testing and treatment to skilled trades certification opportunities, GED referrals, information about accessible K-12 education for minors experiencing homelessness, free phones, and vision screenings. In recognition of National Period Poverty Awareness Week, Anthem also provided period panties and other menstrual care supplies. While resources were at the center of the event, the atmosphere never felt clinical. It felt joyful.

That was intentional. A major priority for Junior League of Columbus and Make-A-Day was making sure the event was shaped by Star House youth themselves. Amanda attended a meeting with the Youth Advisory Council to hear directly from them about what they wanted the day to look like. Some ideas were ambitious, a glow-in-the-dark dance party and a water balloon fight, but underneath all the brainstorming was a much simpler request: they wanted the chance to just be teenagers for a few hours. They wanted music, games, good food, friendly competition, and time with friends without having to constantly think about survival, housing, paperwork, or next steps.

So that’s what everyone worked to create. JLC’s funding helped provide a DJ for the event, and The Royal Oak Initiative brought out a giant chess set that quickly became one of the busiest spots of the day. Vanessa tracked down oversized Connect Four, horseshoes, and cornhole, while Make-A-Day’s volunteer barbers and stylists spent the afternoon helping guests feel confident and refreshed heading into summer. One guest had been talking for months about finally getting a cut from Make-A-Day, and Star House also recruited a loctician to provide hair care and styling for guests who wanted it. Chefs Jesse and David kept the grill going with Make-A-Day’s famous burgers, turning lunch into another reason for people to gather and linger.

From there, the energy carried itself. Wallisha, MAD’s Outreach Specialist, line danced with youth in the courtyard while Alison, Make-A-Day’s Board President, challenged guests to Connect Four matches nearby. On the chess boards, volunteers from ROI taught first-time players while multiple games stayed in motion throughout the afternoon. Once a few skateboards came out, partners joined youth in the parking lot to swap tricks and cheer each other on. JLC volunteers helped serve food, connect guests with medical care and resources, and make sure anyone who wanted a haircut, a conversation, or support knew exactly where to go.

As we arrived that morning to begin setting up, one guest immediately recognized our team.

“Hey Make-A-Day,” she called out, “are you gonna make my day today?”

Looking around a few hours later at smiling faces, relaxed shoulders, and conversations that ranged from navigating services to favorite TV shows, hair dye colors, and who had next in chess, the answer felt obvious. A lot of days were made that afternoon.