Great Futures 2020 Campaign continues to build momentum
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley broke ground today on a 15,000 square foot expansion of the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha. The Great Futures 2020 Campaign is funding this $3.34 million addition.
The expansion is a key component of the organization’s multi-faceted push to meet the needs of a growing population of young people. The Club can and does change lives as evidenced by a nearly 50% drop in juvenile complaints to City of Menasha Police Department since the Club first opened in 2015!
The two story addition will feature a new career readiness lab to better equip our young people with the skills they need to become productive citizens. A sensory room will provide kids with a place to go to calm down and regain their footing during emotionally difficult times. The expansion will also create more dedicated spaces for our no-cost licensed counseling professional services, Runaway & Homeless Youth program, and the Center for Grieving Children.
By 2023, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley hopes to grow the number of young people it serves on average each school day from 1,300 to 1,700.
“There isn’t going to be a kid who gets turned away… These kids are our future, they are the foundation that makes it work.” – John Bergstrom, Community Leader and Friend of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley
Campaign leaders emphasize the construction of the addition is coming prior to reaching the full $9.875 million campaign goal in order to address the urgent, high demand for services the Boys & Girls Club of Menasha is experiencing. The organization has received just over $6.2 million in total campaign commitments.
Other planned improvements as a part of the larger Great Futures 2020 campaign include new safety and security systems at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Appleton and Menasha and the opening of two new school-based Boys & Girls Clubs in Appleton and Little Chute. The campaign will also help to fund STEM educational supports, a career readiness lab, an expansion of the organization’s no-cost mental and behavioral health services, an additional bus line of service, and improved outdoor recreational areas.
The Menasha expansion is expected to open in time for the Club’s summer 2020 positive youth development programs. Construction is being led by Miron Construction, with Gries Architectural Group the lead designer with engineering services by McMahon Group.
If you are interested in supporting this campaign please visit bgclubfoxvalley.org/donate/ and select “Great Futures 2020” in the designation dropdown.
Photo Credit: Bob Cashman at Image Studios
If you’d like to read more about the expansion, check out these news articles from WFRV, WLUK and The Post-Crescent.
