The financial crisis is not only affecting banks and the housing market, community organizations are feeling the pressure as well.
The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington (BGCGW) recently announced plans to close four of its branches and lay off 16 percent of its administrative and operational staff. The decision is part of a restructuring program to deal with the organization’s $7 million deficit.
Proposed for closure are the Frank R. Jeleff Branch in Georgetown, the Hopkins Branch on Capitol Hill, the Northwestern High School Branch in Hyattsville, Md. and Brent Place in Alexandria, Va.
Although it has been reported that those branches will no longer offer services to the community, BGCGW spokeswoman, Molly Boyle, clarified that the organization is only selling the buildings and will not completely cease programming offered at those locations.
“We own various properties in the D.C. area. Owning buildings gets expensive when you consider the cost of maintenance, which is not what we do. We are here to offer programs that help the youth of this community,” Boyle said.
According to a press release on the group’s Web site, BGCGW determined which buildings would be closed by examining the attendance, the cost of operations and high-need areas of certain facilities. Boyle said the Jeleff Branch has less than 20 members at the facility.
To help families cope with the closings of the four branches, Boyle said the organization will offer transition plans to those families. She said the clubs will work with families to provide transportation to other facilities or help families find other organizations with similar programs.
BGCGW also plans to partner with Anacostia Senior High School and provide its programs to the students. The programs will also expand to local schools like Ballou Senior High School in Southeast and Oyster-Adams Bilingual Elementary School in Northwest.
Boyle said the school expansion plans are a solution to an increasing trend of students spending more time at school when classes conclude.
“We noticed that a lot more kids are spending their after school time at school. It makes sense to go where the students are and provide these programs,” she said.
Although some residents said they are upset by the news of the closings, they are happy to hear that the club will still offer its programs.
James Wilkins, a Southeast native and former Boys & Girls Club member, said he was sad to learn of the closing of the Jeleff Branch.
“I used to go there all the time after school. It was something to do to keep me out of trouble. Looking back, I wish I would have taken advantage of the programs more. I was considering going back to volunteer there,” said Wilkins. “It’s sad that the building is closing because a lot of people played there who were not in the Boys and Girls Club. So where will those people go? At least they are making sure kids still have the program.”
The closings of the branches will not officially take place until the end of this year. Boyle pointed out that since the Jeleff building services many organizations besides BGCGW, it will remain as a rental property until the building is sold.
Mayor Adrian Fenty proposed to spend $15 million of the 2010 city budget to maintain the Jeleff building as a community center. As for the other locations, the spokeswoman said that the organization plans to establish deals with the new owners so the facilities can still service the community.
According to Boyle, the announced four branches are the only buildings scheduled to close.
“There are no plans to sell any other properties at this point or in the near future. However, there are no guarantees,” she said.
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