The Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties recently reached a key milestone with support from Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gulf Coast) and a growing network of champions committed to youth success.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, which devastated the original Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club in September 2022, BGCSDC has made significant progress in the construction of a new Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club on the Steven and Marjolaine Townsend Campus, thanks in part to a $1 million investment from Gulf Coast.
“This project is a powerful example of what’s possible when a community comes together,” said Phillip Lanham, president of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. “Collaboration has been the cornerstone of every step forward, and we’re proud to work alongside so many dedicated partners to help rebuild the Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club, which will support North Port’s youth and families for generations to come.”
The Club serves over 250 kids Club members aged 6-18 throughout the year and provides award-winning programs that foster a space to support leadership development, practice healthy lifestyles, and plan for our members’ futures. For over 25 years, the Gene Matthews Club has been a place families counted on for exceptional after-school programs.
The new facility will honor that legacy while offering resources that reflect our members’ needs. The new Club will serve as a hub for youth development, academic support, leadership training, health and wellness initiatives, and more. It will feature academic classrooms, a commercial teaching kitchen, a food pantry for local families, a technology lab, a dedicated teen center, and much more, in addition to a newly renovated playground, recreation pavilion, and health and fitness center.
“The Gulf Coast Community Foundation has impacted thousands of our members over the years, and we are grateful for their commitment as a key partner in this community-wide effort to build a new Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Clubs,” said Bill Sadlo, president of BGCSDC. “As the steel beams are added and construction continues, we inch closer toward providing a safe and enriching space for after-school activities.”
The Steven and Marjolaine Townsend Campus, home of the Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club, is made possible with lead support from Steven and Marjolaine Townsend as well as Gulf Coast, Jaime and Julie DiDomenico, Atlanta Braves Foundation, Congressman Steube’s Office, Alex Armstrong, Jimmy Devellano, Resilient SRQ, and Florida Community Loan Fund’s New Markets Tax Credit program with additional NMTCs provided by Truist Community Development Enterprises.
A ribbon-cutting to be tentatively scheduled for early 2026. For more information, visit bgcsdc.org or call 941-366-3911
Submitted by Solymar Estrella
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: New Boys & Girls Club in North Port advances with $1 million investment
Reporting by Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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