A mass of debris swirls through the air and the repetitive humming is owed to the great machinery at each of the four free-standing Boys & Girls Clubs in Indianapolis. The facilities were granted over $9 million to renovate and expand their kitchen and cafeteria areas. Through community support, the expanded facilities will serve more than 70,000 meals a year to youth and their families, increasing their total amount of meals served by 20,000.
Ten clubs operate in the Indianapolis area, however only the four free-standing clubs are currently under construction including the Keenan-Stahl, LeGore, Lilly and Wheeler-Dowe units.
“If you look at the food insecurities in this area, the kids are often hungry and don’t get proper nutrition,” said Rick Whitten, executive director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis. “In 2012 we partnered with Second Helpings to provide meals but we wanted to promote it to the rest of the family including parents and other siblings. We couldn’t do that the way we were currently set up.”
The project is a part of the clubs’ first capital campaign in 20 years totaling $6.6 million which also included funds to build the new Finish Line Boys & Girls Club which will be located on the city’s Eastside.
According to the organization’s data, 82 percent of youth members qualify for free or reduced lunch at school. The U.S. Census Bureau, states the number of children under the age of 18 living in poverty in Marion County has doubled since 2000 to an estimated 68,208.
Community supporters, such as United Way who donated $1 million, The Glick Fund that provided more than $600 thousand and others as well make the renovations and expansions possible. The project is to be completed by the end of December 2014.
Currently without renovations and expansions, the four free-standing clubs are able to provide 50,000 dinners per year but after construction is completed, 20,000 additional dinners will be provided to club members and their families.
The Wheeler-Dowe unit currently does not have a designated cafeteria. Youth consume all meals in the gymnasium, which lacks space for the amount of children being served.
Director of the Wheeler-Dowe unit, Alexis Siamas said each club serves dinner at the time of their choosing but Wheeler-Dowe serves between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. where club parents and children are welcomed to eat for free.
“We will really begin to promote free meals to families more often once we get our new facility up and running,” said Whitten.
While serving over 7,000 local youth per year, many children rely on meals provided by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis where they receive lunch, a snack and dinner depending on the school calendar.
Siamas said the majority of children the Wheeler-Dowe unit serves live next door in Bethel Townhomes, but many children have been members of the club since they were two or three years old when the club included a preschool years ago.
“Some kids actually call this their home and have grown up here,” said Siamas. “They come because they know they can get a snack here.”
A report by Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy titled “The Links Between Nutrition and Cognitive Development of Children,” states “Even mild under-nutrition experienced by young children during critical periods of growth impacts their behavior, school performance and overall cognitive development.”
“It is important to us that we offer young people nutritional meals so they have the chance to be as successful as possible,” said Whitten. “We are committed to fighting against childhood hunger in Indianapolis and know this project is a step in the right direction.”
For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs’ project, visit bgcindy.org.
