COLUMBIA FALLS – The Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country has picked up a $1 million grant that will fill crucial gaps in their programs.
Director Cindy Hooker says the grant money will be spaced out over five years and will be given by the US Department of Education meaning the club will annually receive about $288,000.
Hooker explained that it works as reimbursement and that the club will spend the necessary funds and then expense the funds to the grant.
The grant money will help to expand resources for a brand new middle and high school program. Currently, the Boys and Girls Club can only service about 65 middle schoolers.
The money allows the club to find space for more kids and hire six more staff with benefits. Hooker told MTN News that the extra resources will help decrease youth crime in Columbia Falls.
“We do have some issues here in town, you know after school because kids are all over the place. And we’ve had buildings damaged, broken into, middle school kids that have been caught doing things that they shouldn’t be doing. And so, if we don’t do something we’re going to have a huge juvenile crime problem,” explained Hooker.
The club can start using these funds immediately.
