Thanks to the Dunham Foundation, Alive Aurora is breaking down barriers and connecting more teens to opportunity.
For many teens, the difference between spending the afternoon alone and finding a safe place to belong comes down to one simple thing: a ride.
At Alive, we believe every teen deserves access to a safe, welcoming environment where they can discover their passions, build friendships, and develop the confidence to thrive. But we've learned that even when programs are completely free, getting there can be one of the biggest obstacles for families.
Thanks to the generous support of the Dunham Foundation, Alive Aurora launched Driven to Thrive, a transportation initiative that provides safe, reliable bus service from school directly to the Center. Through our partnership with West Aurora School District 129, teens at Washington, Jefferson, and Black Hawk Academy have a reliable way to reach Alive’s free after-school programs.
And the wheels are turning!
Since launching, Driven to Thrive has provided 243 bus rides, connecting teens to free, Teen-Led, Teen-Driven™ after-school programming that offers so much more than a place to spend the afternoon. Once they arrive, teens are welcomed into a community of caring adults and supportive peers. They can receive free tutoring, explore STEM and creative arts, participate in leadership opportunities, develop healthy coping skills, or simply enjoy being themselves in a space where they feel accepted and valued.
For working parents and families facing transportation challenges, Driven to Thrive provides something equally meaningful: peace of mind. By creating a reliable connection between school and Alive, the initiative helps ease transportation burdens while opening the door to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Nourishing Teens Beyond the School Day
The Dunham Foundation's generosity is also helping Alive Aurora address another important barrier to youth well-being: food insecurity.
With the Foundation's support, Alive established a Friday Food Pantry, providing teens with healthy, shelf-stable snacks to take home for the weekend. Teens are encouraged to take what they need, without judgment or stigma.
It's a simple but powerful way to extend Alive's care beyond the walls of the Center, helping young people access nutritious food even when our doors are closed.
Building Connections That Last
As Driven to Thrive continues to grow, we're learning valuable lessons about what it takes to make after-school programming truly accessible. Strong partnerships with local schools, consistent communication with families, and flexibility in transportation schedules are all essential to meeting teens where they are.
But perhaps the most important lesson is this: Access creates opportunity.
Each of those 243 rides represents a chance for a teen to discover a new interest, find a trusted adult, make a friend, or experience the simple but powerful feeling of belonging.
And that impact extends far beyond the ride to Alive.
We are deeply grateful to the Dunham Foundation for recognizing that investing in youth means addressing the barriers that stand between them and the opportunities they deserve. We also thank West Aurora School District 129 and our partner schools for helping make these connections possible.
Because Driven to Thrive is about more than getting teens from school to Alive. It's about helping them get where they want to go in life.
Every ride is a connection. Every connection is an opportunity. And every opportunity is another chance to COME ALIVE.