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LAPLACE — The Route 46 Youth Group was recently established in St. John the Baptist Parish after parents approached Bishop Antoine Jasmine with a desire to have more local opportunities for youth.

Director TJ Frisbee said the Route 46 Youth Group meets from 6 to 8:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of every month at the Choice Multi-purpose Complex at 1005 Cambridge Drive in LaPlace. He said this encouraging and close-knit group is addressing community needs one step at a time.

“Some kids were ending up in jail for petty thefts and things like that because there’s not a lot of influence at home. Parents felt like there should be a program, so we started a program where we could assist parents with being that second voice,” Frisbee said. “It takes a village to raise a kid, so we formed a village to raise children.”

The Route 46 Youth Group is completely free and open to the adolescent age group, ages 11 to 20. Participants are divided into different age groups, and Frisbee said another program will be forthcoming for ages 5 to 10. According to Frisbee, the adolescent age group was targeted for Route 46 because organizers found that middle schoolers, high schoolers and college students have had trouble adapting to changes from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Approximately 45 young people have already signed up for the Route 46 Youth Group. Parents of minor participants are asked to come in and fill out paperwork for their child. Frisbee said the Choice Marketplace is a secure drop-off and pick-up location.

After sign-in, young people will have fun playing board games and participating in group activities.

“We feed them for free, and after they are full, we play some more games together. Then we get to know them. We separate them by age groups. They can talk to us, cry with us, talk to us about what’s going on in their lives during the pandemic. They can pretty much tell us about anything, and they do,” Frisbee said.

In addition to providing mentorship, the Route 46 Youth Group teaches etiquette and the importance of respecting elders. The group is spiritual in nature, centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Frisbee said he wants the Choice Multi-purpose Complex to be a hub for youth engagement in St. John Parish, especially for young people within the Cambridge subdivision.

“We seek to provide events and layers of activities for these young people to be a part of. They can stop by at any time, and we can find something for them to do. If they want to come meet me, I’m here every day,” Frisbee said.

The Choice Multi-purpose Complex, located at the site of the old LaPlace Skate Center, takes a multi-faceted approach to serving people of all ages in the community. Each Saturday, small business owners gather to sell their products within the facility. It was recently a site for professionals to obtain a ServSafe certification for handling food.

A Space Camp for children recently wrapped up at the Choice facility. According to Frisbee, campers learned about space, watched movies, completed arts and crafts, built a cardboard space ship and even enjoyed a “waterpark” day.

More information on the Route 46 Youth Group can be found by searching @Route46 on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.