DAYTON, OHIO – Today, Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) held a press conference at the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton (BGCD) with Crystal Allen, CEO of the BGCD, and Dr. Karen Townsend, Chair of the BGCD’s Board of Directors. The House Appropriations Committee’s version of the FY24 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding legislation includes $1.4 million in congressional Community Project Funding for the BGCD’s West Dayton Community Recreation & Space Sharing Project. Once that bill becomes law, the funds will be used by the BGCD to remodel its West Stewart Street facility, including necessary equipment upgrades.
“It’s good to be here at the Boys & Girls Club. I know the importance of their programming, having been an after-school student that went to the Boys & Girls Club in East Dayton when they had a facility there,” said Congressman Turner. “I know that their programming can make a direct impact on people’s lives, and I want to thank them. I want to thank Crystal Allen for the work that’s being done here. This is an incredibly important facility.”
“Congressman Turner has always been committed to this community, and he has always been committed to the youth of the Boys & Girls Club,” said Dr. Townsend, Chair of the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton's Board of Directors. “This gift is not just dollars – it’s an investment in the future to prepare our children to be workforce-ready and give them a space to learn and grow, and we are so appreciative. We see this opportunity as a time for our children to come together and not just learn technical skills but life skills; to be mentored, to be encouraged in a center that is not just a building but a pathway to the future.”
Background:
For more than 60 years, the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton (BGCD) has provided young people ages 6 to 18 with a safe and encouraging environment to learn and grow through daily after-school and summer programs.
Congressman Turner is leading the congressional funding effort for the BGCD and is the primary sponsor of the request for the West Dayton Community Recreation & Space Sharing Project.
In April 2023, Rep. Turner submitted a request for funding to the House Appropriations Committee for BGCD’s project. Since then, the House Appropriations Committee has included $1.4 million in Community Project Funding for the BGCD’s West Dayton Community Recreation & Space Sharing Project in the Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill.
The House Appropriations Committee approved this legislation in July. Final passage of the Committee’s bill is pending full consideration on the House Floor.