Kaiya will tell you she used to be shy. That’s hard to picture now. As a Youth Changemaker at The Hub in Winchendon, she has managed café operations, developed her leadership skills, and recently learned she’s headed to college — a milestone she ties directly to what she found at The Hub: a place that took her seriously.

She is one of more than 50 young people who now come through The Hub’s doors every week after school. A year ago, that kind of consistent youth programming wasn’t happening here. What changed was a renovation — physical, programmatic, and in some ways cultural — led by the Winchendon Community Action Committee (CAC) with support from a number of community partners, including a grant from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts.

A Space Rebuilt from the Ground Up

The transformation of The Hub was thorough. New murals, branding, and wayfinding signage — designed pro bono by the architecture firm Perkins & Will — gave the building a coherent, welcoming identity. A renovated back patio became an outdoor classroom. Two new ADA-compliant entrances now make the food pantry, storage areas, and programming spaces fully accessible, improving both safety and dignity for every visitor.

At the center of the revitalized Hub are three programs driving both impact and earned revenue. The relaunched Sunshine Café is run by teens who are gaining hands-on experience in culinary arts and entrepreneurship. The Makerspace Kitchen supports local food entrepreneurs — thirteen makers are now active, eight of them already generating sales. And the bowling alley rounds out a set of earned-revenue streams projected to bring in around $20,000 a year toward operations, helping The Hub sustain itself long after any single grant.

Early Results Worth Noting

The community’s response has been immediate. More than 100 residents turned out for an October 2025 open house. Twelve partner organizations have launched programs at The Hub. And those 50-plus youth arriving each week after school aren’t just filling seats — they’re gaining real leadership experience through the Youth Changemaker

Leadership and Workforce Development Program, a model that asks teenagers to run things rather than just attend them.

For teens who previously had few free, welcoming spaces available to them in Winchendon, The Hub has become something more than a program. It has become a place to belong.

One Piece of a Larger Effort

Community Foundation funding was one part of what made the renovation possible — helping Winchendon CAC complete critical infrastructure upgrades and launch signature programs that are now generating their own momentum. The Hub’s next phase includes a planned transition to 100% electric operations, a signal that this organization is building for the long term.
For Kaiya and the young people coming up behind her, the investment has already paid off. The Hub is a community space Winchendon residents built together — and one they are clearly proud to call their own.

The Hub is a program of Winchendon Community Action Committee, serving residents of Winchendon and surrounding communities.

For more information about the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts or College Affordable, please contact Meghan Maceiko at mmaceiko@cfncm.org