The aging gymnasium is an unlikely place to hold the hopes of a community. The walls are faded orange and the basketball hoops have long been out of service, bare backboards with painted-over graffiti. It is cold in the winter and stuffy in the summer. The floor is uneven, coated with dust.

But parents and stakeholders in Homestead believe that with enough money and hard work, the empty gymnasium off 17th Avenue could become a haven for their children, who have little to do after Steel Valley Middle School lets out except sit in the Carnegie Library or wander the streets.

"If they're not somewhere safe, then they're on the corner, or they're watching somebody fighting," said the Rev. Terry Groce, the mother of a 12-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl.

For more than six months, the Rev. Jim Cannistraci has been formulating a plan to give Steel Valley Middle School students a safe space to stay after school, supervised and well-fed.

"None of us want to have to go through another school year and not have a place for our kids," said Rev. Cannistraci, executive director of the Methodist Union of Social Agencies (MUSA), an organization that has provided services for the Mon and Steel Valley for eight decades.

With the school year fast approaching, Rev. Cannistraci and his allies are searching for enough funding to turn the gymnasium into a state-licensed facility where MUSA can host an after-school program for middle schoolers until 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

"It's so desperately needed," said An Lewis, executive director of the Steel Valley Council of Governments, which owns the building. "It would serve so many constituents."

They face an uphill battle. The gymnasium is their best hope for a facility large enough for the program, and it is in shabby shape. The Steel Valley Council of Governments worked with Homestead's Urban Design Ventures to plan a total renovation, estimated to cost $750,000.

But it is a terrible time to raise money, particularly for a project like this, Ms. Lewis said.

The Steel Valley Council of Governments obtained a $75,000 Community Development Block Grant from the county to install flooring and provide supplemental heating. They hope to put the contract out for bids next week.

Still, they need about $107,500 to build bathrooms so staff do not need to escort children upstairs, where several organizations have offices. Eventually, they want to add classroom space and a full heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Then, MUSA must raise money for daily expenses, like food and staff.

The program would harbor students from Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall, but residents said it is particularly needed in Homestead, a predominantly black borough that was once the bustling home of the Homestead Steel Works but is now much poorer than its neighbors. In 2000, 26.6 percent of Homestead's population lived below poverty level, more than twice the figure in Allegheny County.

As residents have struggled, many resources have vanished, Rev. Cannistraci said.

"The barrier here is not the desire. It's not the support," Ms. Lewis said. "It's the funding."

While some communities have YMCA's, Boys and Girls Clubs or private community centers, Homestead does not, Rev. Cannistraci said. The borough has many assets, he said, but it has little for middle schoolers to do after 2:30 p.m., especially if they do not participate in school sports or clubs.

The Salvation Army holds a free after-school program that cares for about 15 children ages 6 to 12, and they hope to start a teen night for older children this year, but their capacity is limited.

MUSA runs after-school programs at Barrett and Park elementary schools, but by sixth grade, sports and clubs edge out the space for other programs.

Parents of Steel Valley Middle School students said they fear that the dearth of things for their children to do is dangerous.

"The main thing that I worry about with them is just occupying their time," said Tonya Carswell, who has six children, four still in school.

Rev. Groce said she often ends up supervising a de-facto after-school program for her son's friends, providing snacks and a watchful eye.

"Most of the time they're here until after dinner," she said.

Because the Steel Valley School District does not provide busing, many children walk to and from school. Carmella Jones, who has lived in Homestead for five years, said trouble often starts as students make their way home.

"They're bored, and they mess with people, knocking over garbage cans," said Ms. Jones, whose eldest child attends Steel Valley Middle School.

In April, an afternoon brawl erupted near a 16th Avenue playground, injuring three police officers, landing four people in jail and terrifying many families.

"You don't feel safe anymore to let your kids just walk to the playground," Ms. Jones said.

In June, an afternoon drive-by shooting shocked residents further. Many mothers keep their children inside, wary to let them venture past their porch, Ms. Carswell said.

Sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students are particularly vulnerable to trouble, but they are mostly left to fend for themselves in Homestead, parents said.

"They're dealing with a lot sometimes," said Ms. Jones. "They have responsibilities that they need to take on -- adult responsibilities -- but they do need an outlet where they can just be kids."

Rev. Cannistraci wants to create a program where any child who needs to can enjoy simple pleasures: a snack, relaxation and time with friends.

He said MUSA would provide a meal, physical activity, help with homework, computer access, mental health services, financial literacy workshops and career exploration sessions.

"We would be looking at what would be a comprehensive approach to addressing the emotional and the physical and the safety needs of middle school-aged children," he said.

MUSA plans to accept government funding for families that qualify and offer scholarships or low-priced memberships to others, Rev. Cannistraci said.

By the end of the 2010-11 school year, he hopes the program will serve about 50 students. Eventually, it could serve as many as 125 students, he said.

Kevin Walsh, principal of Steel Valley Middle School, lauded the idea.

"Knowing that there is a facility within your community that can house your children and keep them safe, that's very helpful," he said.

But he and others recognize that there are many hurdles in the program's path.

"I didn't know this could possibly happen, to be honest," said Mr. Walsh.

Ms. Lewis said she is preparing another Community Development Block Grant application, as well as an application to ask for donations from Lowe's Home Improvement.

Rev. Cannistraci said he hopes the program can start Sept. 1. But he knows that depends on many things.

Decades ago, the gymnasium belonged to Homestead High School, closed when Homestead merged with West Homestead and Munhall to form the Steel Valley School District.

As steel mills closed in the 1980s, the old high school housed the Allegheny Works program, which provided job training to displaced steel workers. The gymnasium was their workshop, Ms. Lewis said.

Today, the space is used infrequently. In the winter, children from a nearby Head Start program bundle up in coats and ride tricycles across the floor.

Rev. Cannistraci said he knew the gymnasium was the right place for MUSA when he saw it.

The building is structurally sound. The ceiling is not as damaged as it could be. The facility is conveniently located for busy single parents. The space is big enough for children to play basketball, if someone puts up hoops. He sees a good structure. It just needs some work.

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