Officials with the Starke County Youth Club are preparing for Friday’s annual WKVI Radiothon amid overall funding uncertainty for the organization. The nonprofit youth development agency supports students and families with after school and summer enrichment programs at six local sites. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says about half of their financial support comes from the state 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program grant. It is specifically for communities of high poverty with an academic need to help them have places for kids to gather and improve themselves.
Szakonyi says the grant is highly competitive, and the Starke County Youth Club is fortunate to receive funds each year. The state gets money from the federal government for the grant, but that funding is not included in President Donald Trump’s proposed budget. Szakonyi says that’s disastrous for the hundreds of families who benefit daily from the Starke County Youth Club’s programs.
The Starke County Youth Club serves about 500 students in grades K-12 at Knox, North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis. Szakonyi urges community members to make their voices heard with regard to the importance of club by reaching out to their representatives and letting them know how important after-school programs are in Starke County. She says club helps kids gain academic skills along with personal skills like social skills and responsibility and character.
The Starke County Youth Club will be taking over the WKVI airwaves on Friday, May 5, 2017 for their annual radiothon. Learn more about them by visiting their website, www.thescyc.org.
