A teen shelter gets a makeover

February 22, 2013 6:58 PM

When a group of philanthropic interior designers and employees from Triumph Structures Long Island LLC, an aircraft parts manufacturer in Westbury, put their heads together to redesign Nassau Haven, a teen shelter in Wantagh, the result was both comforting and functional. The aim of Nassau Haven, which is run by Family and Children’s Association, is to give residents, who stay a maximum of 30 days, a sense of calm. “The goal of the makeover was to give them a place where they could feel comfortable, not like they’re in a shelter,” says Joyce Mullen, director of marketing and communications for the Mineola headquarters of Family and Children’s Association. As many as 400 youths pass through Nassau Haven each year. -- Sylvia E. King-Cohen