Letting kids be kids.

As reflected in communities across the country, many young people in Acton-Boxborough feel pressure to be the best in school and in extracurricular activities.  We want to help kids learn to be their best.  We believe that by providing a safe and welcoming space to let kids be kids, they can make space for healthy social interactions, self-exploration, and building the confidence and emotional intelligence to become the next generation of leaders. 

Our programming follows our three core focus areas: mental health & wellness, self-exploration & life skills, and leadership & community-building. From activities clubs to crafting to financial literacy and everything in between, we are committed to providing participants with a wide range of classes at no- or low cost.

Community is at the heart of what we do.

We are more than the space inside our walls, we are a community.  Danny's Place is dedicated to supporting children and teens in Acton-Boxborough - and beyond - in a variety of ways.  

We support our community through three levels of impact: In-House Programming, Community Initiatives, and Policy Shaping.  From our growing online resource library to our coalition work, we directly serve hundreds of kids each year and reach hundreds more through efforts such as special events, workshops, and committee work.  In all our efforts, we strive to help the whole family by providing information and resource connections to caregivers, too.

Who is Danny?

When Danny McCarthy was a high school student in Acton, MA, all his friends knew: his house was the place to go. Perhaps it was his humor, his generosity, his openness, his kind heart. Something about Danny made his place feel like home, a place where they could all escape from the pressures of school and just enjoy their time together. Danny knew that there was more to life than perfect academics. He gave his best effort to everything—sports, music, art, and, most importantly, being a son, a brother, and a friend. His appreciation for the people in his life and the lives they created together was something that everyone loved about him. And something none could forget.

In April of 2003, in his junior year of high school, Danny tragically died in a car accident while out with friends. Days after his death, Danny’s family and friends gathered to find a way to keep his spirit and his contribution alive. They decided to create a space in his memory where, just as Danny had drawn his own small community together in life, young people could come to connect and grow together. They called it Danny’s Place.

The community of Acton-Boxborough responded with an outpouring of support for the project, with so many donating their time, their money, and their talents toward making Danny’s Place a reality. And in March 2006, Danny’s Place opened its doors to the youth of the entire Acton-Boxborough community.

Since that day, Danny’s Place has built up its programming, partnered with numerous community organizations, and created a library of online resources to expand its reach and bring Danny’s love for life to more young people and their families.

Help young people create happier,
healthier lives.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Danny’s Place Youth Services does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion(creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, the appointment to and termination from its Board of Directors, hiring and firing of staff or
contractors, selection of volunteers, selection of vendors, and providing of services.

Danny’s Place Youth Services is an equal-opportunity employer. We shall not discriminate and will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, Board membership, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or any other
discriminatory reason.