The Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County may face serious operational challenges following a proposal in the President’s federal budget that would eliminate the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) program. This longstanding federal initiative funds out-of-school time programming across the country and currently supports thousands of children in Lawrence County.

Locally, four of the Club’s six sites rely on 21CCLC funding, which accounts for approximately 20 percent of the organization’s annual budget. Club leaders say the need is growing, and they had planned to seek a 55 percent increase in funding in the next grant cycle to meet demand.

The funding covers essential operational expenses, including program supplies, background checks, CPR and First Aid training, and salari

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