Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio closing dozens of locations

Only 27 of the 49 Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio will remain open this fall due to a loss of federal funding.

According to Director of Communications Ken Wood, there is a possibility that some operations may be restored if funding —including a request that is pending with the state— becomes available.

Earlier this summer, News 5 reported on BGCNEO's $3 million loss after trying to close a gap created by the unexpected loss of a federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and leftover money from the pandemic.

Funding loss could force closure of some Northeast Ohio Boys & Girls Clubs

RELATED: Funding loss could force closure of some Northeast Ohio Boys & Girls Clubs

CEO Allen Smith said that the campaign raised over $700,000, which helped secure club locations, but it was not enough to cover their losses.

“Our goal has not changed – we want to serve as many kids as possible in Northeast Ohio,” said Smith. “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.”

The club locations in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties will see the largest impact.

“I was disappointed when they told me today about the program, that it was shut down,” said Dreamer Watkins.

Her daughter Faith is in her first week of first grade at Mound Elementary in southeast Cleveland. Last year, the then kindergartner attended an after-school program at the school with the Boys and Girls Club.

The program at Mound is among the 22 across Northeast Ohio that won't be opening with the new school year.

"She was so heartbroken when they told her the Boys and Girls Club was done," Watkins said of her daughter.

An independent national survey of Boys and Girls Clubs found that children who participated in the programs had increased graduation rates, improved academic scores, were more involved in community service, and were less likely to engage in risky behaviors like carrying weapons or using drugs or alcohol.

“The thing that really keeps us up at night is that we have families that rely on the Boys and Girls Club for after-school time, out of school time service,” said the CEO.

Watkins said she appreciated the free childcare option but was also impressed with the quality of education her daughter received in the program.

“It helped the children learn a little bit more," she said. "[The teacher] actually helped my daughter a lot with her reading and spelling.”

She plans to send Faith to a Boys and Girls Club site near the elementary school that will remain open, but she worries about other families who won't easily transition to a new location.

"It was better when it was at the school," she said. "It's challenging for [some families] that really don't have the transportation or the support system from the parents."

According to the BGCNEO, operating a club site costs at least $120,000 a year. Smith said the locations staying open serve the most children; many are free-standing sites designated for BGC programs, and some have their own sources of funding.

“A matrix of factors are playing a role in the decisions that we make,” he said.

According to the CEO, staffing will also be reduced moving forward. BGCNEO is still in the process of finding out the best way to staff the clubs that will be open this school year.

He hopes the ongoing fundraising campaign will help some clubs reopen.

“Ideally, if we could get the support the community that we’re looking for, that might push us over the hump,” he said.

Families hope bridging the funding gap will help bridge learning and childcare gaps in Northeast Ohio communities.

“Sometimes, to me, it’s not always about the money. It’s really about the kids,” said Watkins.

The following 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.

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