Fewer Boys & Girls Clubs will be open this school year
Twenty-seven of the 49 Boys & Girls Clubs that operated in Northeast Ohio during the 2023-2024 school year will open their doors this fall, a decrease prompted by the loss of federal funding.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio left open the possibility of restoring operations at some sites during the school year if funding – including a pending request from the state — becomes available.
BGCNEO previously indicated it was trying to close a $3 million gap created by the unexpected loss of federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and leftover pandemic relief dollars. CEO Allen Smith said while that campaign has raised more than $700,000 and helped secure some Club locations, the revenue was not enough to overcome the loss of federal funds.
“Our goal has not changed – we want to serve as many kids as possible in Northeast Ohio,” Smith said. “We have been encouraged by the support we’ve received from the community during this difficult time and will continue to look for ways we can serve more youth in more places.”
Smith said while BGCNEO is still hoping to get the funding needed to keep additional sites open this fall, the organization did not want to wait any longer to inform parents and employees. Clubs in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties are the ones most affected by the cutbacks; nine of the 16 Cuyahoga County Clubs that operated during the 2023-2024 school year will not reopen this fall, while eight of the 20 Lorain County sites that operated last year will not be reopening.
Smith said it was “extremely difficult” to determine which Clubs would open this school year. He said BGCNEO first looked at how to serve as many kids as possible with the smaller footprint, then prioritized buildings it owns or controls and those Clubs funded either by local school districts or through multi-year federal 21st Century Community Learning Center grants.
It costs a minimum of $120,000 a year to operate a Club – the amount is greater for those with higher membership – and BGCNEO will not reopen a site unless a full-year of funding is assured.
To donate, visit www.bgcneo.org.
According to Smith, BGCNEO is in the process of determining the best way to staff the Clubs that will be open this school year. There will be a reduction in staffing.
BGCNEO said these Clubs will be open this school year, based on current budget projections:
Cuyahoga County (7): Broadway, King Kennedy, East Tech, Joseph Gallagher, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John Adams and Saint Luke’s.
Lorain County (12): Desich Family Campus, Elyria South, Westview Terrace, Brookside, Frank Jacinto, Larkmoor, Palm, Washington, Admiral King, Clearview Durling, Garfield and Vincent.
Summit County (4): Steve Wise, LeBron James, Barberton and Lincoln.
Erie County (2): Sandusky Teen Center and The Regional Center for Arts & Academic Studies.
Huron County (2): New London and Norwalk.
Smith encouraged families whose Clubs will not be reopening to use the Club finder feature on the BGCNEO website to see if there is a nearby location. The site allows searches by address or county.
Fall registration is now under way.
Boys & Girls Clubs provide safe, fun places for kids ages 6-18 to go after school, with a focus on academic success, healthy lifestyles and leadership. There is no charge to join a Club.