BOSTON—Stoneham and Wakefield state legislators Senator Jason Lewis, Representative Michael Day, Representative Kate-Lipper Garabedian and Representative Donald Wong hailed a recent announcement from Massachusetts Commissioner of Early Education and Care Samantha Aigner-Treworgy that the Department of Early Education & Care awarded a FY 2021 Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield in the amount of $225,000.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield will use the state grant funding to help pay for a number of COVID-related facility upgrades.
“This state grant funding will help ensure that the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield will remain a safe, healthy and accessible setting for the young people served by the club, the hardworking staff, and the dedicated volunteers,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “I am pleased that the Commonwealth continues to provide support for our essential local child care providers like the Boys and Girls Clubs.”
“I am pleased that the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield will receive a much-deserved $225,000 Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund grant,” said Representative Kate Lipper-Garabedian. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been in touch and met virtually with the Clubs to discuss the important work on which they have led to support children and their families in our community. The capital upgrades made possible with the state grant will enable the Clubs to make renovations that will enhance the services and programming they offer.”
“This is very welcome news, as the Boys and Girls Clubs provide out-of-school programs and services that allow families to thrive,” said Representative Michael Day. “This investment underscores the importance and value of these programs and ‘the Club’ to our community.”
“We never closed during the pandemic. Our staff worked tirelessly to support local families and help caregivers get back to work. For some children this meant being with us for over 40+ hours a week, including meals, snacks, and virtual schooling. Outside our walls we delivered groceries, 3D printed personal protective equipment, and provided virtual programming for those children who could not come to our Clubs. All of these programs depend on a facility that can manage the additional stress of this additional use. This investment by the state made that possible,” said Anthony Guardia, Chief Development Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield. “It’s an investment that reflects our special relationship with our local legislators. The legislators and their staff were in constant communication with us on how best we can meet this ongoing challenge. We knew we could depend on Sen. Lewis, Rep. Day, Rep. Lipper-Garabedian, and Rep. Wong to support us and our kids. They’ve been advocates, friends, and partners.”
The priorities and goals of the FY 2021 Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund are to provide center-based early education and out-of-school time care facilities with resources to make renovations that enhance health and safety, for costs that were incurred during the period between March 22, 2020 and September 30, 2021.
