Buffalo, NY – In a joint announcement that will transform the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo’s John F. Beecher Clubhouse building (180 10th St.), Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera and New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, of the Bronx, awarded $1 million in funding that will aid improvements to the interior and exterior of the clubhouse and will also greatly enhance the playground.

The original intent of Speaker Heastie’s visit was to announce $250,000 in state funding to the clubhouse. However, after learning about the broad scope of needs in order to update and modernize the space, Heastie surprised Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo staff by announcing that the Assembly would be increasing that figure by $750,000.

Improvements that will be facilitated by today’s funding announcement include but are not limited to:

Exterior

• Needed repairs to the sidewalk.
• The creation of a safe drop-off zone for kids.
• Repairs to the roof of the building.
• Remove trees from the front and landscaping improvements.
• Fence repairs and debris removal. 

Interior

• New mats on the walls of the gymnasium.
• Installation of an intercom system and door alarms.
• New heating and cooling units.
• New emergency exit in kitchen.

Playground

• An expansion of the Clubhouse playground which will include a covered, concrete play area.
• A new basketball court with fencing.

Additionally, a mural is part of the next phase of improvements to the exterior of the building.

In 2022, Assemblymember Rivera worked to secure $150,000 for Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo, which was used to support capital improvements to the John F. Beecher Clubhouse and the Butler Mitchell Clubhouse kitchen at 370 Massachusetts Ave.

The John F. Beecher Clubhouse received $100,000 for renovations to its playground, while the Butler Mitchell Clubhouse received $50,000 for kitchen upgrades and its afterschool dinner program.

Each year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo serve 2,600 youth through programming and afterschool workshops.

Of that population:

• 97% Qualify for a free or reduced lunch
• 50% Live at or below the poverty level
• 63% Live in single-parent homes
• 68% represent disadvantaged populations
• 84% Say the club provides a sense of belonging

Since 1926, Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo has been at the forefront of youth development, working with young people from disadvantaged economic and social backgrounds. The organization provides more than a place for youth to gather after school — it offers a refuge that allows young adults to develop with the necessary skills and sense of self to succeed.

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “When I was growing up in this neighborhood, playing with friends and spending countless summer days outside until the streetlights came on, we had no place that we could gather and play safely. I worked hard to ensure that the next generation of youth on the Lower West Side don’t have the same absence of space. I look forward to seeing the completed improvements and look forward to continuing to fight for every last dollar on behalf of our youth and the organizations that support them.”

Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie said, “The Boys & Girls Club does such incredible work in our communities, giving kids a safe place to learn and grow. This funding will give the Boys & Girls Club of Buffalo the resources they need to improve their clubhouse and make it an even better environment for the kids here in Buffalo.”

Shari McDonough, Chief Executive Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo, said, “The Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo is truly honored by this gift from the New York State Assembly and Assemblyman Jon Rivera. Having the unique opportunity to make needed repairs and improvements to our clubhouses is something we would not be able to do without this vital funding.”