09.24.04

Cantwell Secures $250,000 in Senate Spending Bill for Boys & Girls Clubs Expansion

B&G Club president: Cantwell funds would"ensure" new clubs in Lakewood, Gig Harbor

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced today that she has secured $250,000 in a Senate spending bill for the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound to build or refurbish six Boys and Girls clubs in Pierce and Kitsap Counties for underserved communities. The money secured by Cantwell would ensure that the historic efforts to build new multipurpose centers in the region will move forward in Lakewood and Gig Harbor.

"Boys & Girls Clubs provide a vital service to the community, acting as an after-school haven for many kids. It provides them with a safer, more active environment than can be found on the streets," Cantwell said. "I'm excited about the Clubs' expansion efforts in the south sound, and will continue to do whatever I can to support those efforts."

Robert Thoms, Cantwell's Pierce County/Olympic Peninsula Director, announced the funding this morning at a breakfast meeting with community leaders gathered to discuss the progress of funding for the wide-scale project to improve access to Boys & Girls Clubs in the south sound.

Gary Yazwa, President and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, said, "Senator Maria Cantwell's commitment to the Boys & Girls clubs of the South Sound is extremely important. Her support, along with the many private and foundation donations, will ensure new club construction will begin in Lakewood and Gig Harbor."

City of Lakewood Mayor Doug Richardson said, "We're excited about the news we received from Senator Maria Cantwell's office that this very important project for our youth has received $250,000 in funding."

The funds would go toward building and refurbishing clubs in Lakewood, Gig Harbor, South Tacoma, and South Pierce, Kitsap, and North Mason Counties.

With 20,000 new residents moving to South Puget Sound region every year, demand for the services and facilities provided by Boys & Girls Clubs is growing. In some communities, though, there are no clubs available or the buildings are crowded, ill equipped and run down.

That leaves many children from single parent families and households with two working parents home alone during the day or engaged in unsupervised activities after school.

Each of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound's planned construction projects will serve as multi-purpose facilities, working with local school districts and park districts to provide a home to many programs and groups serving children, seniors, and low-income families. This is especially important under current economic conditions because communities and groups cannot afford to construct and operate separate facilities.

Gig Harbor Mayor Gretchen Wilbert said, "We are grateful for Senator Cantwell's effort in securing a portion of the funding for the Gig Harbor Boys & Girls Club community center. This partnership in funding is the only way we have to provide services for senior and youth in Gig Harbor."

The Gig Harbor Boys & Girls Club building will be home to the first senior center in Gig Harbor.

"This is exciting news for Gig Harbor area seniors," Cantwell said. "With the community working together to make this multi-purpose center possible, seniors will have local access to some great services and activities."

Yazwa added, "Senator Maria Cantwell is a vital partner in our future to provide a much needed place for communities to join together."

While the Boys & Girls Clubs is seeking county, state, federal funds to help pay for the $60 million project, more than half of the total capital construction budget will come from private funding.

The funds were included in the Senate version of the fiscal year 2005 Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill, which passed the Appropriations Committee. Cantwell hopes the House of Representatives will also approve funding for the project.