Construction of a new 7,500-square-foot clubhouse in Scotts Valley for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County has secured $1 million in federal funding, announced U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta on Nov. 20.
The clubhouse will benefit the children of Scotts Valley and surrounding San Lorenzo Valley communities.
“The Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County do excellent work to enable young people to excel, especially at the Joe and Linda Aliberti Clubhouse in Scotts Valley,” Panetta said. “However, their afterschool programs continue to grow, and their resources are stretched thin. This significant federal investment for a new youth center in Scotts Valley will provide our children with an improved, state-of-the-art and bigger clubhouse to play, exercise and receive academic and social support. Moreover, it will be a hub for children and families in the entire San Lorenzo Valley.”
The completed project will support an estimated 400 youth annually, with an average daily attendance of 150 kids and teens, through after-school and out-of-school programs that include academic support, art, engaging physical activities, music, cooking classes and more.
“At a time when families are navigating rising living costs and increasing barriers to essential services, such as meals and childcare, Congressman Panetta’s ability to secure this critical investment for the Aliberti Clubhouse strengthens our capacity to provide high-quality, affordable and reliable afterschool and summer programs for children and teens in Scotts Valley and San Lorenzo Valley for generations to come,” said Lis DuBois, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County. “We are deeply grateful for Congressman Panetta’s continued commitment to strengthening our community.”
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County opened a 2,400-square-foot clubhouse in 2018 that supports an average of 330 youth each year and has been enrolled to capacity with a wait list every year. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Club played a vital role in the community, providing youth programs and local parks, community center and school campuses following the closure of the city’s childcare program.
According to DuBois, the new youth center will seek to address the shortage of childcare spaces in Scotts Valley, ultimately making living and working in the region more affordable.
In a press release, Panetta stated that he has been a “fierce advocate” for affordable living in Scotts Valley during his time in Congress. In addition to the clubhouse funding, he secured $1 million for the Scotts Valley Town Center to acquire 8.15 acres of land, with the eventual goal being to develop 14 total acres of vacant land into a mixed-use “downtown” urban core, including affordable housing.
The funding secured for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County is part of a grant that Panetta advocated to be included in the most recent appropriations package. The funds will be delivered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program, which helps increase the competitiveness of rural communities in attracting and retaining businesses that provide employment and services for their residents.
“I’m proud to ensure that the federal government continues to play its part to invest in our children, families and communities with funding for this new clubhouse for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Cruz County so that they can continue to invest in our future,” Panetta said.
