APEX Youth Center, APEX Community Advancement, Inc.

01/03/2026

A reminder - This is a Legacy Page. APEX Youth Center closed in 2019 due to most finding being pulled.

04/20/2019

Watch David Brooks talk about the founder of APEX, Lisa Fitzpatrick on PBS. Join us today, April 20, at Magazine and Erato for The APEX Block Party and Courtyard Brewery Hops Fest to meet our founders and donate to a great cause!

New York Times columnist David Brooks on his new book, “The Second Mountain.”

04/20/2019

We have been so blessed to serve our community. There are still many bills we have been left with we are also exploring ways we can take APEX outside the walls. Join us today at 1000 Erato (Magazine and Erato) for the 2019 APEX Block Party and Courtyard Brewery Hops Fest. 100% of craft beer tasting ticket proceeds go to APEX. Come out and meet us and make your donation. Let’s find ways to continue to support our kids. Help us make this happen in communities everywhere! If you can’t make it today you can always make an online donation.

APEX Youth Center was founded in New Orleans with the goal and purpose of “Improving Lives Through Education, Technology and The Arts.”

04/20/2019

We have been so blessed to serve our community. There are still many bills we have been left with we are also exploring ways we can take APEX outside the walls. Join us today at 1000 Erato (Magazine and Erato) for the 2019 APEX Block Party and Courtyard Brewery Hops Fest. 100% of craft beer tasting ticket proceeds go to APEX. Come out and meet us and make your donation. Let’s find ways to continue to support our kids.

The closing of Apex in Central City adds to a growing need for youth services in a community where many children are traumatized by poverty and violence.

03/20/2019

Another APEX Fact:
For over 9 years APEX has served a community meal and cookout nearly every Saturday of the year - feeding up to 120 people each week. Help us make this happen in communities everywhere!
https://www.apexyouthcenter.org/make-a-donation/

03/19/2019

In 2018 APEX provided daily meals up to 7 days per week for 50 to 100 children, teens, and young adults. https://www.apexyouthcenter.org/make-a-donation/

03/19/2019

You can still contribute to our great work as we take APEX outside the walls! Everyday we will post an amazing accomplishment of APEX. You can help continue this work in neighborhoods and communities throughout the U.S. by making your donation and pledge now!

APEX Youth Center was founded in New Orleans with the goal and purpose of “Improving Lives Through Education, Technology and The Arts.”

02/11/2019

Look who is doing the keynote at SXSW EDU in Austin!

Dan Rather, Priscilla Chan, Mitchell Baker, Jean Chatzy, Jamaal Charles, and more Featured Speakers also added to SXSW EDU lineup.

01/18/2019

Hello Dear Friends and Family of APEX,
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that the APEX Youth Center is closed. While APEX Community Advancement, Inc will continue, our Drop-in Youth and Community Center is no longer sustainable. We were over 30% down in donations and funding for 2018, and we have identified less than 5% of needed funds for 2019 to operate safely and effectively for our kids. We have not been able to open since the Winter Break without staff and basic food and services.
All is not lost. APEX will continue as a nonprofit training and consulting service. Perhaps this will give us time to reorganize and open another center in the future. Please keep the children and teens in your prayers as they now have realized we can't open. We will have 2 Community Days in the month of January to distribute our donated goods to those in our community who qualify for those services. Please check our page for dates and times.

We are grateful to all of you who helped make this center possible. We are grateful for our donors, our volunteers, and our community. Most of all we are grateful for the nearly 1200 children and teens who have come through our doors. They give me strength and hope for a brighter future. As several of them have said as we try to comfort each other through this time, "Don't worry, Ms. Lisa. APEX is not a place. It's us, and we got it right here in our hearts!"

I invite you to also carry APEX in your hearts. Carry the place of love, peace, and reconciliation with you wherever you go. If you have ideas or thoughts on where we might go from here, please do not hesitate to contact me next week. Please keep the Fitzpatrick family in your prayers as well. We are taking this weekend to mourn, as Monday would have been the 9th anniversary of the opening of our first APEX Youth Center. This has been our family's life work and purpose for the last decade. Our community is keeping us in love and we will move forward. Please wait to contact us on Tuesday so that we might spend some time with our family in this difficult time.

The APEX Ministries United Methodist Church, the church founded by the teens of APEX is still going. We meet in a small storefront and are trying to open a couple of days in addition to Sunday to serve a much needed meal for our kids. APEX Youth Center does have some expenses in order to close in an orderly and faithful way. As we re-organize, we would appreciate any donations to help cover these costs. You can donate to our website directly at www.apexyouthcenter.org.

Thank you to all of our community for a blessed and wonderful decade. APEX WILL continue in the hearts of all of us.

Blessings,
Rev. Lisa Fitzpatrick
Executive Director, APEX Community Advancement, Inc.
Founding Pastor, APEX Ministries United Methodist Church
2039 Toledano St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
504-358-APEX (2739)

APEX Youth Center was founded in New Orleans with the goal and purpose of “Improving Lives Through Education, Technology and The Arts.”

01/02/2019

We are reorganizing our APEX Youth Center spaces and need your help. If you have any volunteer hours to give in the next few days, please call 504-358-APEX (2739) or just come by the center any time between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the APEX Youth Center, 2039 Toledano St., New Orleans!

01/01/2019

There is still time! APEX Youth Center needs your help to close the year strong. Your credit card or check is accepted on our website. Get those 2018 deductions before it’s too late!

APEX Youth Center was founded in New Orleans with the goal and purpose of “Improving Lives Through Education, Technology and The Arts.”

11/26/2018

Remember to shop Smile.amazon.com this cyber Monday and put APEX as your nonprofit!!!