A last-second reallocation of funds will allow five Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio (BGCNEO) to reopen this school year, the organization announced Tuesday.
Nearly two weeks ago, BGCNEO announced it would not reopen 22 of its 49 Clubs this school year due to the loss of $3 million in federal funding. The areas initially impacted by the funding loss were in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. BGCNEO decided that nine locations in Cuyahoga County and eight locations in Lorain County would not reopen. However, this week, the Ohio Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs reallocated some of its unspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and pandemic relief dollars to help some clubs reopen.
The five clubs that will reopen are:
- Helen Arnold Community Learning Center in Akron
- Westwood Middle School in Elyria
- Huron Primary School in Ashtabula
- Westwood Elementary School in Wellington
- Elmwood Elementary School in Garfield Heights
All of the newly funded clubs will open Sept. 16. Registration for the Clubs is open now. The reopening of the Clubs should allow as many as 300 kids to attend a Club this fall, BGCNEO said in a statement. However, capacity at each site will be limited due to staff shortages, the organization noted.
“We are so thankful for this reallocated support from the state and our partners at the Ohio Alliance,” BGCNEO CEO Allen Smith said in a press release. “The governor and the legislature have been great partners with BGCNEO, and we’re grateful for this funding. As we have said all along, the goal has never changed – it is to serve as many kids throughout the region. This funding helps us do just that.”
BGCNEO is still looking for ways to increase staff capacity and reopen Clubs. To that end, they’ll be hosting a telethon on Sept 26, with WKYC, to raise additional funds for the Clubs. The organization is also making philanthropic requests and looking for other ways to close the funding gap.
For more information on BGCNEO, visit their website.
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