Our anticipated long-term outcomes involve providing crucial resources to more young people facing acute mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. Danny's Place will serve as a safe and joyous haven, fostering positive, non-competitive relationships and offering a supportive environment for individuals to discover their authentic selves.

The Impact we see.

At Danny's Place, we evaluate and measure program success. We use surveys paired with specific outcomes and interviews with participants and their parents to obtain qualitative insights into program impact. From testimonials and notes from our staff, we know that the experience of program participants at Danny's Place can be genuinely transformative.

“No matter how hard my day has been, whenever I come here, it immediately brightens up my day. I have the best times here.” – Penguin Club Participant

Surveys tell us the big picture

Across our elementary-age programs, the comfort at Danny's Place is clear. Surveyed participants responded to the "check all that apply" prompt describing Danny's Place as...

• Somewhere that I feel safe, 100%

• Somewhere that I can be myself, 100%

• Somewhere I can meet new friends, 100%

• Somewhere I actually want to be rather than somewhere I have to be, 90% 

• Somewhere that adults actually listen to me, 90% 
  
  
  

  The surveys from our elementary-age participants in our Sparks Program highlight the importance of mental health and wellness programs at a young age.

  • 100% of surveyed Sparks participants agreed that the program "felt like a break from other spaces that can be draining or overwhelming." 

  • 100% of Sparks participants feel that they can be themselves at Sparks 

  • 100% of Sparks participants responded that the program provided them with tools and resources to help cope better with things that feel hard

  • 90% of Sparks participants agreed, "I feel like I'm learning to accept myself more for what makes me special since joining Sparks." 

“We’re so grateful to Danny’s Place for being a soft landing for our kids when we moved from out of state. The supportive community made all the difference.” – Parent of a Danny’s Place participant

Expressing the Danny’s Place Difference

We asked our Sparks participants to express their experiences at Danny’s Place through drawings or stories, reflecting on three stages: before joining the programs, when they first started, and now. Additionally, they illustrated different versions of themselves—at home, at school, and at Danny’s Place.

Kaeleigh De Silva, Programs Manager and Lead of the Sparks Program, shared the powerful insights these participants revealed. One depicted themselves surrounded by a cloud labeled “I belong,” with the title “accepted,” highlighting the sense of authenticity and belonging they feel at Danny’s Place.

Another participant used vibrant colors to represent their "whole self," illustrating how Danny’s Place empowers them to bring all aspects of their personality together, creating a complete and confident version of themselves. These reflections underscore the transformative impact of our programs in helping young people embrace their true identities.

Individual experiences tell us more

From testimonials show how the experience of program participants at Danny’s Place can be truly transformative.

”If you're looking for a place for you or your student to attend after school for fun and connections, I HIGHLY recommend going to Danny's Place. Danny's Place is a happy and safe space for all. The programs are absolutely excellent and all are very unique. Each program is carefully planned and is very well organized. The staff are incredibly nice and comforting to all participants. Each staff member at Danny's Place also have a great education background, and they all are incredibly knowledgable and intelligent. Each person comes in and out of Danny's Place with a big smile every time, because of how nice the environment of Danny's Place is.”
- Leili, High School participant and volunteer

“This is my first year at Danny’s Place but I find it really fun, and I’ve met so many awesome people. And I just feel really safe and included here. “
- Sparks Participant

“My favorite part about Danny’s Place is how creative you can be here.”
- Penguin Club Participant

“ Danny’s Place is an awesome experience to meet new people and try out different personalities you never thought you had.”
- Sparks Participant

“I learned so much, and the stories [of college kids] made me realize that a lot more people are going through big things just like me.”
- What’s Next Starts Now Participant

“The best part of the U-Project experience was working with Danny's Place mentorship and getting to meet the other participants. We got to know each other before the final showcase and bonded over our project visions and presentations. Getting consistent feedback on my project was incredibly helpful. The staff were so kind, understanding, and flexible. Overall, I loved the community that working in this space created.”
- U-Project Participant

A story of everyday transformation.

Just a few months can be an opportunity for change.
Scott* first came to Danny's Place as a fifth grader after his mom signed him up for the ThinkGive program. Apprehensive about joining at first, Scott can need help with perspective-taking and flexibility in group settings. To Scott's mom's relief, he said he felt welcomed immediately and returned each week for the program. The following year, Scott came to the same program again for the whole year. His mom reported that he would leave Danny's Place each week feeling regulated and looked forward to attending the next session. When he graduated from elementary school and entered junior high school, Scott was thrilled to learn about a new Danny's Place program called ConnectNite, which would offer space for connection with peers through thoughtful and intentional activities. Scott's participation in ConnectNite has been steadfast, with consistent attendance since the program's inception this fall. Notably, staff observations reveal Scott's remarkable progress in understanding others' perspectives, engaging thoughtfully with peers, and demonstrating enhanced cognitive flexibility throughout his involvement in the program.

*personal information changed for anonymity of participant

A Program for Every Phase, at Every Stage, as you Age

The importance of our Program Growth is highlighted by a recent experience that our Programs Manager, Kaeleigh DeSilva, describes here:

"I recently had a young Danny's Place participant sneak upstairs to peep at the wonders of our Sparks play space as they looked on with contagious curiosity and awe. New to our space, they were unsure how our seasons worked, so once I explained that they could sign up and get a place for December, they exclaimed, "Aw, I have to wait til Christmas!" After a moment, they exclaimed, "I'm going to be in Sparks, and then Flare, and then Blaze! I'm going to be here until I'm in high school, and then I'm going to come back to work here!" This precious exchange captures the need and value of extending our original elementary offerings. Watching the sparks fly as this new participant paused to imagine a future where Danny's Place was alongside them for their journey was confirmation of how these pathways could be used to hold onto young people who aren't ready to let go of us. Sparks and Penguin Club have become core features of our Danny's Place community, so building a Sparks Sequence and Club Continuum was a natural progression for us to offer the community. Now, no matter the age, participants can continue to reap the benefits of spaces that have become familiar staples to their routine."

For more information on any of the above, or if you have any questions, please contact us: Development@Dannys-Place.org