ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The Boys & Girls Club of Allentown got a welcome funding boost Monday as state Sen. Nick Miller announced a $100,000 grant for the organization.
That money will help pay for upgrades at its gym at 720 N. Sixth St., including repairs to the floor, new wall pads and a fresh coat of paint — something the gym hasn’t seen since the building opened more than 50 years ago.
But the six-figure investment from Pennsylvania’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act funds “goes beyond brick and mortar,” according to Katarah Jordan, who runs the Allentown chapter.
“It's an investment in the health, well-being and future of our community's youth."Katarah Jordan, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Allentown
Redoing the space will make the gym “a safer learning environment,” and it “will empower our children to explore the joys of movement and athleticism, fostering their physical and mental growth,” Jordan said.
“It's an investment in the health, well-being and future of our community's youth.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Allentown launched in July 2002 when the local Girls Club merged with the Boys Club, though the original Girls Club site at 13th and Turner streets was a girls-only facility until 2014.
The organization says it serves almost 2,000 Allentown kids each year.
Miller, D-Lehigh/Northampton, is working to secure more ARPA funding for local projects this year, as that money must be allocated by the end of 2024, according to Kelly Leighton, Miller's communication manager.
