SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Boys & Girls Club Family Center in Springfield received a charitable grant of $500,000 Wednesday from a state grant.
The Early Education Out of School Time Capital Fund supports physical facility improvements
at early education centers that serve low-income communities. The family center works 7 days a week and serves area youth at all hours of the day to provide them with a safe and fun environment to complete homework or participate in activities.
This grant will help go towards capital improvement, more specifically the family center will be able to correct many of the different maintenance issues that they have been dealing with over the last few years.
Keshawn Dodds the Executive Director of Club says they are putting the family back in the family center by investing in its many students and families. Dodds added that their goal is to leverage these funds to get other organizations to assist with other major projects that will expand the center’s services and their overall footprint within the Springfield community.
Mayor Sarno states, “Keshawn Dodds and his amazing team at the Boys and Girls Club Family Center do such a tremendous job in our community with the programs and services they offer, especially for our youth. As a former Executive Director for the South End Community Center, I know firsthand the delicate balancing act that is done when trying to fund programs and capital facility needs. This $500,000 state Early Education Out of School grant that they are being awarded will make a huge difference and help advance capital project needs for their building. In addition to the $500,000 my administration awarded them as part of my 7th round of ARPA awards back in August 2022, this puts the Boys and Girls Club Family Center in a great position to address immediate needs and advance future plans and opportunity too.”
Dodds stated, “This was a very competitive state grant that the Boys & Girls Club Family Center has been awarded. This will help us to correct many of the differed maintenance issues that we have been dealing with over the years. This also puts us in place for bigger plans in the near future.”
“This is an amazing time for our Club, and we are grateful to be working with EEOST on this project,” Dodds said. In addition, Dodds stated, “Our goal is to leverage these funds to get other funders to assist with a major project that will be announced in the near future. We are truly blessed and in a great position to further the development of our community.”
Melissa Torres is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2021. Follow Melissa on X @melissatorrestv and view her bio to see more of her work.
