THOMAS COUNTY, GA — After years of planning, the Cairo Boys & Girls Club is ramping up fundraising to build a larger teen facility and create space for more kids who want to join.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
A new building purchased in 2023 sits unused as the club launches a capital campaign to raise $4-5 million needed to begin construction.
The Jackie Robinson Boys & Girls Club in Cairo has a building but it still isn't open.
Three years after purchasing land and a structure with plans to expand services for teenagers, the club is now launching a capital campaign to raise the millions of dollars needed before construction can begin.
The existing facility is already stretched thin.
"It's definitely overcrowded. Got two small rooms that we use to tutor out of, and there's kids just begging to come in and get help. So it's very demanding," Amy Hagan, a teacher and board member, said.
The club bought the property in 2023 with a vision to create a dedicated space for teens in sixth grade through 12th grade. Executive Director Stephen Francis says the new building would be roughly double the size of the current facility, giving older kids more room and privacy.
"At least around 100, 150 teenagers, I think we'll be able to start off in our new building, facility, when we get it going," Francis said.
The expanded space would offer a range of new opportunities for teens, including STEM labs and updated technology, computers and smart boards, more tutoring space, and an indoor basketball gym.
Bringing that vision to life carries an estimated price tag of $4 million to $5 million. The club has already secured an $850,000 federal grant through HUD, but leaders say significantly more funding is still needed.
Francis said the delay has been a matter of getting the right pieces in place.
"We had to get the right people in the right place in order to begin the process," Francis said.
Now, the club is moving forward with a community-focused fundraising push.
"So we have the flyers. The next step is sort of meet and try to start, you know, going around to people in the community and businesses and corporations and looking for donations to get started. And there's a lot of, you know, big corporations that will match money once you get so much raised. So we're in the process of getting all that going," Hagan said.
Leaders say their goal is to raise most of the funding by the end of this year and break ground in early 2027 if everything goes according to plan.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram and X.
