Faced with closing its doors for a period due to funding shortfalls, the club has struggled through the year thanks to community donations and a grant through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. And despite sometimes being forced to choose between paying utility bills and paying employees, no programs were cut and no employees let go.
“At this point, things are holding. There”s been an improvement. Not a big one,” said Mary Moore, president of the Columbus chapter.
After the turn of the year, the club will receive the bulk of its annual funding, which Golden Triangle Boys and Girls Club Board President Dr. Melvin Ray says should last through the summer of 2010. The club will use that time to raise funds for the second half of the year.
The United Way of Lowndes County, which funds the Boys and Girls Club, hopes to provide funding equal to 2009 for each of its 18 agencies in 2010. The Boys and Girls Club received $34,000 from the United Way in 2009.
The club is also due to receive funding from the city and county. Exact figures were unavailable, but Ray estimates local government will chip in around $30,000.
The Rev. Steven James, pastor of United Christian Baptist Church in Columbus, has been on a mission in recent months to recruit local churches in an effort to donate $2,300 each month to the Boys and Girls Club to cover the mortgage payment on its 14th Avenue North location. Sixteen churches have committed, but only six have donated funds as of Wednesday and James has yet to deliver a payment to the club.
“All I can say is we”re still going. We do have an account set up and have some money in the account. Some ministers came through, but there”s not enough,” said James.
Instead, the Boys and Girls Club has relied on the donations of individual donors, individual churches and a $42,500 ARRA grant intended exclusively for employee wages at the Columbus and Starkville chapters. But even the ARRA money has yet to come in. The funds are part of a reimbursement grant which should come in after Jan. 1, 2010, after the clubs submit claims, Ray said.
Immediate funds have come from donations like the $250 raised when Kingdom Vision International Church in Columbus put on a charity basketball tournament for the Boys and Girls Club.
“They reach so many young people on a weekly basis,” said R. J. Matthews, pastor of Kingdom Vision. “Our community needs what they have to offer. If we lost that in our community, it takes a lot away.”
Kingdom Vision is one of the churches recruited by James to continue donating to the Boys and Girls Club. Any church or individual wishing to contribute to the fund can take donations to Bank First and deposit the money to the United Christian Baptist Church DBA Community Resource Fund (account: 8811457). Every cent deposited to the account will go directly to the Boys and Girls Club, he specified.
“We”re asking all churches to come on board. All the money is going straight to the club. BankFirst knows that,” James added.
The clubs also are actively seeking additional grants because there”s no guarantee the ARRA grant will be renewed next year. He”s also soliciting private and church donations, touting the benefits of the club and inviting potential donors to follow their money.
“We would like for the community to visit the club. Come to the board meetings. We want to be as accountable and transparent as possible,” said Ray.
The Columbus board meets every third Thursday at 5 p.m. at the club, 1815 14th Ave. N. The Starkville board meets the third Thursday at noon at East Mississippi Community College-Mayhew”s Center for Manufacturing Technology. The corporate board meets at the same location on the first Thursday of each month at noon.
Programs
The Boys and Girls Club of Columbus serves approximately 150 local youths every day. Available programs include:
n Power Hour — A comprehensive homework and tutoring program.
n Smart Moves — An educational program to help kids resist alcohol, tobacco, drugs and premature sex and develop life skills and leadership skills.
n Smart Girls — A health and fitness education, self-esteem enhancement program to build healthy attitudes and lifestyles in early-adolescent girls.
n Torch Club — A small group aimed at helping 11-13-year-olds develop, plan and implement a community service project.
n Keystone Club — A leadership development and community service club for 14-17-year-olds.
n Goals for Growth — A program aimed at helping all age groups achieve their educational and career goals.
n Street Smart — A new program in development that will offer skill mastery and resistance training to help kids 11 and older avoid street gangs.
Steve Moody, program director for the Columbus Boys and Girls Club said the programs cost little to no money to the club because each is moderated by a paid employee. Stationary, arts and crafts supplies, office supplies and computer equipment are often donated.
Employee hours at the Columbus chapter have been restructured to correspond with the hours the greatest number of children are present at the club, Ray said. The programs are available Monday through Friday and are open to all club members.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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