Macon’s Boys and Girls Club closed for 90 days, families search for alternatives

Less than 24 hours before its annual Back 2 School Bash event last weekend, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Georgia announced on social media that it would shut down for 90 days due to “severe operational and financial challenges.”

The event still took place Saturday, but some people wondered what was going on with the club, Demarcus Beckham said. Beckham, a former director of events for the club who left in 2024, was helping with the Back 2 School Bash. He was approached by some event coordinators with questions.

“Only a few parents were aware of everything that was going on,” Beckham said.

Now, Middle Georgia families are left searching for alternative programs.

Bibb County School District opens its doors Aug. 3. The Boys and Girls Club was once a top option for afterschool care, providing resources for roughly a thousand students. In 2024, the organization purchased the Buck Melton Community Center for $650,000. The club had a net income of $1.9 million that year, according to ProPublica.

But earlier this month, the club’s CEO departed. Staff members were laid off soon after. The club’s board of directors has not yet provided details about their financial struggles, and board members did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The club provided a list of organizations that people could contact for assistance during the 90-day period.

One organization on that list was Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia. That group’s president, Betsy Fitzgerald, said she is “concerned” about the Boys and Girls Club’s future, adding that “there’s a lot of frustration.”

Families from across Macon are calling and applying for the mentorship program, but with a small staff and an influx of applications, it’s hard for Big Brothers Big Sisters to catch up. It now has a 200-person waitlist.

There are several alternatives for affected families. Parents can check with their child’s school to register for an afterschool program. Most schools in Middle Georgia have these programs, though the fee-based services may cost more than the Boys and Girls Club’s sliding scale structure.

Registration for Macon-Bibb County Parks and Recreation afterschool programs opens July 31. These free programs are hosted at county rec centers, but transportation will not be provided.

For programs with Big Brothers Big Sisters, families would need to fill out an application to assign a mentor to their children. The organization does not have a physical location to support afterschool programs, but often partners with other nonprofits to provide a safe space. 

The Boys and Girls Club’s closure amplifies a fear for nonprofit leaders like Fitzgerald.

“I want to be optimistic because it will be a devastating loss to this community,” she said. “If we don’t invest in [nonprofits] now, we will face the consequences immediately and for years to come.”

One issue facing nonprofits, Beckham said, is the convoluted nature of federal grants, a vital source of funding for the Boys and Girls Club. Freezes on federal spending are harming organizations throughout the country.

“I was a Boys and Girls Club kid myself,” Beckham said. “A lot of great alumni and community leaders came out of these clubs. I know they’re working towards getting things done, it’s just gonna take a little while.”