AMADO, ARIZONA – Portable Practical Educational Preparation Inc., also known as PPEP Inc., is proud to announce the construction of a new Amado Youth Center at Kay Stupy Park, 5130 West Arivaca Road in Amado.
The new center will be 2,840 square feet on .95 acres of land for a 137 person occupancy and house two offices and classrooms. The ground breaking was August 13, 2022 and its expected completion date is March 1, 2023 for a total cost of construction at $1,553,000 ($547 PSF).
The original Amado Youth Center was destroyed on September 2, 2018, by a flash flood in the area west of Interstate 19 and the Santa Cruz-Pima County line.
The Amado Youth Center had first opened in 2011 in response to the Town of Amado needing a safe, after-school space for youth and teens. Since, it has administered after-school programs to hundreds of Amado area youth, many of whom went on to higher education and skill careers.
Following the flood, local area organizations, faith groups, and local businesses stepped up to help with meeting space and facilities to continue the administration of the Amado Youth Center programs.
The Amado Youth Center and its Amado Youth Alliance are also part of the peer-to-peer substance abuse prevention project of the Amado Community Alliance of Portable Practical Educational Preparation, (PPEP) Inc.
The Amado Community Alliance is a collaboration of 12 sectors from this rural area working to prevent underage drinking and youth substance misuse. Part of its funding comes from federal, state and county governments, through PPEP, Inc. to improve the quality of rural life.
A2 Studios is the architect and Stover Construction, the general contractor for the project.