Welcome Center seeks $20,000 from Pittsboro; Boys & Girls Club requests $30,000 to support local youth services

At the April 7 meeting two local nonprofits asked the board for continued funding.

Greg Lewis, treasurer of the Welcome Center, requested $20,000 from the town for fiscal year 2026–27 and said he will request $30,000 from the county. He distributed a visitor summary showing 573 sign‑ins in the first quarter (January–March): 212 in‑county visitors, 123 from surrounding cities, and 88 out‑of‑state visitors. Lewis said the Welcome Center serves as a meeting space for local organizations and a visitor hub that helps drive local spending: "We expect to have at least 4,000 people come through that we will know of," he said, arguing the center contributes to downtown foot traffic and tax revenue.

Tori Gaywood, director of resource development and marketing at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Carolina, asked the town to continue annual support of $30,000 for the Pittsboro club, which serves more than 150 children a year. Gaywood cited club outcomes: more than 771 youth served since opening at the Pittsboro site and internal metrics showing 92 percent of youth on track to graduate and 93 percent who believe they can succeed academically.

Commissioners asked for clarifications about how funds would be used, how each nonprofit measures impact, and how other funders such as the county are being approached. Staff reminded the board that municipal sponsorship of nonprofit events or services requires identification of public purpose; the Welcome Center's provision of public restrooms and an information hub has been the basis for prior support.

The board did not take a final funding vote at the meeting and asked staff to provide further budgetary context for potential contract support.