GEORGETOWN, Del. - In an effort to better serve the community, the Boys & Girls Club are requesting funding for a new facility.
Congresswoman Sarah McBride visited the Georgetown location to announce a $6 million community project funding request that would support construction of a new 28,000 square foot facility.
Community Project Funding requests are federal funding proposals submitted by Members of Congress to support one-time, community-driven projects. Requests are reviewed by the House Appropriations Committee and must meet strict eligibility and transparency standards. Each Member is limited to 15 CPF requests per fiscal year. Congresswoman McBride has just submitted this funding request to the House Committee on Appropriations, where it will go through a competitive process determined by the committee.
Sitting at a table in the gym of the Georgetown Boys & Girls Club was Congresswoman Sarah McBride. To her left was Club Director Renee Hickman.
"Students that we serve, their minds are wide open and they're free to learn. they're free to be the best people that they can be," Hickman shared.
Hickman says she'd like to see more resources going toward the Boys & Girls Club, a place that helps kids build bright futures, rather than to the prison system.
"For me, it's just let's turn the dynamics of what that looks like around. Let's make the facility that houses children and their betterment larger than one that is the outcomes from poor decisions," Hickman explained.
Adrianna Harris joined the Boys & Girls Club in 2001 when it was held at Grace United Methodist Church in Georgetown. Harris is now the program director and says there's an unmet need for growth.
"Our biggest component is space, capacity wise. We can have up to 110 kids in here, but we don't have enough space for 110 kids," Harris shared.
According to Hickman, the Boys & Girls Club serves about 82 students. Harris remains hopeful, especially after Wednesday's meeting and tour with the Congresswoman.
"We want to serve more. We want more kids in our building, that's what we do as a family. We work together. We're here to help the parents, the staff. Our end result is to have more people like me," Harris explained.
The team at the Boys & Girls Club hoping the voices of the community will be heard and that those on Capitol Hill will pour into the future. Hickman says the future is now.