After financial uncertainty threatened its closure last year, the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City has bounced back as they continue to provide a vital resource for children around the city.

Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City (Facebook)
Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City (Facebook)
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Since 1970, the club has offered after-school and summer programs that are aimed to help kids become successful and productive. Nearly 150 kids per day utilize the Atlantic City facility, ranging from 5 to 17-years-old.

The ACBGC programs promote academics, character, and leadership for the youth. It also provides parents with a safe place for their kids to spend their free time after-school and over the summer.

Increasing overhead and dwindling donations caused a brief closure for the club last May, while they reorganized and sought out more donations. The news heading into the 2015 summer is significantly better than last year.

"The Boys and Girls Club is financially sound at this point," said Robert Taylor, Acting Executive Director. "We still certainly need the support of the community and our contributors."

"We've been able to stay open. We will serve kids all summer long from 8:30 to 5:30, Monday through Friday, and the program should be in good shape."

Taylor credits the community for stepping up during the financial crisis, along with their long-time donors. The late Lewis Katz, a Philadelphia businessman and Longport native, gave a significant donation last year that has provided some fiscal stability for the club. That gift came just days before Katz tragically died in a plane crash.

The club may be asked to do more in the coming months because of another financial situation, Atlantic City's.

The city is facing major budget deficits with state-appointed emergency managers looking to save money anywhere they can. That has lead to a looming reorganization of the city's school and recreation departments.

"We will probably be looked upon as an organization that needs to serve more kids," Taylor said.

Taylor said he has worked very well with city officials and Mayor Don Guardian, who is a big supporter of the ACBGC. He is planning more dialogue with them in the coming weeks and months to find solutions.

"We are certainly looking to partner and do everything we can to do it smarter, better, and continue to serve kids," he explained.

The goal, he said, is to serve more kids, more often, and with greater impact.

"We look to serve a need, and our mission is to serve children. That's what we're committed to."

Learn more about this great New Jersey organization and how you can help by visiting the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City website and Facebook page.

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