NaperBridge is selling shares in an attempt to raise $75,000, according to Jeffrey Haake, NaperBridge founder and president of the board of directors.

The organization is also in the process of applying for grants and corporate sponsorships, Haake said. The fundraising goal will help NaperBridge sustain their facilities until this process is complete.

“Every non-for-profit needs to raise money to survive,” Haake said. “To help keep NaperBridge open and part of the community, the students decided they needed to step up and do their part to help in fundraising.”

According to Haake, NaperBridge was forced to temporarily close their doors for five days because of lacking revenue. This prompted students’ fundraising efforts.

Naperville North senior Jon Kim, who serves as NaperBridge’s student advisory board president, is actively fundraising.

“The shares raise money to continue what we are doing at NaperBridge,” Kim said. “They are used to fund the events and pay for rent.”

According to Kim, each share is $100 and can be purchased by anyone. Many local business owners have already invested in NaperBridge through these shares. And before NaperBridge opened its doors four years ago, a single person donated $500,000 to the organization, Haake said.

“The donor understood the value of what NaperBridge was going to do,” Haake said. “NaperBridge was really lucky early on.”

According to Haake, multiple donors have contributed nearly a $100,000 since then.

“[The funds have] been spent on primarily staff salaries, rent, build out and programming,” Haake said. “We’ve had office rent for two and a half years. Then when we moved into our facility, it cost us nearly $100,000 to make it suitable for our purposes.”

Fundraising efforts to support a teen youth center began in the 1960’s, Haake said. In 1965, the youth of Naperville raised $54,000 to build the barn, now used by NaperBridge, as a safe place for teens to gather.

“We host stuff such as workshops, classes, dances and concerts,” Kim said. “It’s just a fun place.”

According to Haake, NaperBridge has about 15,000 teenagers registered in their database as a result of the multiple events they have hosted.

“Naperville needs a place to for teens to be able to perform, volunteer [and] have leadership opportunities in the community,” Haake said. “NaperBridge can be the voice of the students.”

Senior Ryan Drendel has attended multiple concerts hosted by NaperBridge, and he hopes to attend many more.

“I think it is a very important thing for our community because there are so many teenagers looking for a safe place,” Drendel said. “NaperBridge can really offer that. It is important that our community support them and keep them around.”