At Big Al’s
Nassau News Staff Writer
Jerk chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens -- these are just a few of the typical Southern-style foods offered at Big Al’s. This small restaurant cooks whatever you order, right in front of you, so you get it fresh and hot.
Locals come in, say hello, and the cooks talk to them like they’re family. This big Town of Hempstead had a small-town feel to it.
Three gentlemen walked in from across the street where they work and manage the Percy Jackson Youth Center.
Andre Huff, Richard Dykes and Wilber Brown are local heroes here, as they provide a place for children and young adults to stay after school or during the day. The center, named for a star Nassau County athlete who died young, has tutoring programs, sports and other activities to keep the kids involved.
School is particularly important to these three men. Hempstead High School is severely overcrowded and, sometimes, the students do not keep focus. The youth center is where students can revisit all they have learned in school and successfully progress.
This program is offered to kids and young adults from the ages of 5 to 21.
There are several forms of admission. You can sign up for a nine-month program, a full-year program or you can sign up on a walk-in basis.
Huff, Dykes and Brown are just a few of the local heroes who help with the guidance of children. And here they are at Big Al’s.
Information for this About Town feature
Big Al’s
429 South Franklin Avenue, Hempstead
516-292-1661
(Closed on Mondays)
See this location on a map
Percy Jackson Memorial Youth Center
436 South Franklin Avenue
516-486-3661
