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Boys and Girls Club of Baldwin County asks commissioners for emergency funding as membership rises
Summary
Board chair Cece Sinclair and CEO Pam Peek told the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners the nonprofit is recovering from storm damage, facing reduced federal funding and expects more children this summer; they requested county support and listed a $5,050,000 ‘‘wish list’’ while also identifying a smaller $50,000 grant item in their packet.
The Boys and Girls Club of Baldwin County asked the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners for financial support on a measure of sustainability after a year-long closure caused by storm damage.
The request came Tuesday during the board’s presentations when Cece Sinclair, board chair, introduced CEO Pam Peek to describe the organization’s programs and finances and to request county assistance.
Pam Peek said the club closed for a year after storm damage in 2024 and that repairs cost about $250,000; community fundraising covered roughly 90% of that work. “We were able to do 90% of that work,” Peek said. She told commissioners the club expects to serve about 50 more children this summer after serving 369 youth in 2023 and that 68.2% of those participants came from Baldwin County.
Peek described an operating shortfall, saying federal funding has declined: “we are down about $60,000.” She reported the organization’s ‘‘wish list’’ for long-term sustainability as $5,050,000 but said the club would accept smaller support and noted a $50,000 grant request in their packet. “That’s what we’re looking at,” Peek said.
The presentation emphasized academic programming and workforce-preparation activities, including STEAM projects, apprenticeship tracks in culinary and gardening, partnerships with Central Georgia Technical College, and scholarship opportunities for certifications. Peek said the club’s 2023 outcomes included 100% promotion of enrolled children to the next grade and 87.3% reading on grade level among participants.
Commissioners asked for clarifications about the numbers, staffing needs tied to the projected increase in membership, and whether the club’s request represented a collaborative ask of both the city and county. Peek confirmed the club sought support from both the city of Milledgeville and Baldwin County and that the $5,050,000 figure was a broader sustainability goal while they were also requesting specific grant amounts from local governments.
The board did not take a formal vote on funding during the meeting. Commissioners said they would “take this ask” under consideration and try to determine how county resources could be allocated.
The presentation packet attached a program snapshot and a list of collaborative partners, which Peek said the club uses to leverage other support and training resources for staff and volunteers.
For follow-up, commissioners asked staff to review the packet information and said the county would consider the request when preparing budgets and grant recommendations.
