By Mary O’KEEFE

When the 2026-27 school year begins on Aug. 19 the Fire House Youth Center, located at 2563 Foothill Blvd. on the campus of St. Luke’s of the Mountains, will again open its doors to Rosemont Middle School students on their late start days, which has been every Wednesday morning. 

For over a decade the Fire House Youth Center has provided, at no cost, an early morning breakfast for Rosemont students that includes pancakes, sausages and cereal. The menu will change following requests made by students. 

The Fire House has been open since 2010, following a year of preparation and organization. The Center was founded by members of the former Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition. 

The Fire House is a mission of St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church and over the years the church has supported the Center by providing volunteers and paying for the costs of utilities. The facility includes a pool table, two foosball tables, a television, video games, a closet full of board games, a music room and much more. 

The food, drinks and supplies are provided by volunteers, who also work at the early morning breakfast. In addition to middle school breakfast, the Fire House plays host to several clubs and organizations like CV High School Prom Plus, CV Cares, CV Cares Ambassador High School Club, CV Fire Safe Council, Academy of Science and Medicine and JROTC. 

Over the years the Fire House has offered outreach programs to educate students and adults. These include a Start Smart driving program through the California Highway Patrol, a college fair and a speaker series. 

As the year begins, Fire House volunteers need donations and adults [aged 18 and older] to support the program on Wednesday mornings from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. 

Each Wednesday while school is in session parents can drop off Rosemont students at 7 a.m. to the Fire House. The Fire House is a drop-in Center; therefore students are able to come and go as they want. Parents are invited to visit and tour the Fire House on Wednesday mornings as well. At 9 a.m. students leave the Fire House to walk up Rosemont Avenue to school. 

For donations, checks [made out to St. Luke’s of the Mountains] or grocery gift cards are most needed so volunteers can buy items as needed, storage at the Fire House is limited. 

For information on the Fire House or the Wednesday morning program please  email thefirehouseyouthcenter@gmail.com.