Boys And Girls Club May Be Returning To Stockton
STOCKTON (CBS13) — Almost five years after it closed, the Boys and Girls Club of Stockton may soon be re-opening, this time under new management and at a new location.
The plan is to combine the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stanislaus County with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lodi and Merced, along with the new Stockton location.
Parents have been looking to find a good place for their children that is both safe and educational. It's a struggle that started soon after the Boys and Girls Club of Stockton Closed nearly five years ago.
"A lot of us parents, we work so much that we need a secondary, you know, voice or someone to help us raise our kids. That's what it was all about when we were growing up. We were all a community and we helped each there," said parent, Tiffany Jones.
Stockton has been without a club since it's charter was pulled after its director, former mayor Anthony Silva, was arrested and charged with embezzling money from the club. Now, community leaders are working on rebuilding not only the club's image but its programs.
"We pride ourselves on providing innovative and enrichment programs that instill in our young people the tools and the confidence to succeed," said Veronica Jacuinde, Boys and Girls Clubs of Stanislaus County.
Plans are moving forward to combine the Boys and Girls Clubs of Stanislaus County, a new Club in Stockton and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lodi and Merced Counties to become the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Central Valley.
"We are stronger together and the ultimate goal is to provide, more kids in more club, more often to help them achieve all of their dreams. Our goals and mission are that we empower and inspire all young people to realize their potential," she said.
Club leaders are working on raising money to fund the new club for its first few years. They want to be able to help at least 1,000 children a year. For now, the plan is to provide after-school programs at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, a place Pamela Temple, 13, can focus on following her dream of being a nurse.
"It would be cool if there were things all over Stockton that kids can go to, to keep from getting into trouble and keep from doing anything bad like selling drugs and all that," said Temple.
Community leaders hope to get the new Boys and Girls Club in Stockton up and running later this summer.
