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The Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield was granted over a quarter million dollars in Youth Opportunities tax credits earlier this week. KSMU’s Matt Evans reports.
The Missouri Department of Economic Development awarded $935,556 in tax credits to seven Missouri organizations serving the state’s youth. The Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield was granted $237,800. Pat Gartland is the executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield.“Well, we’ve had some great success with tax credits,” said Pat Gartland, the executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield.This round of tax credits will go toward the Boys and Girls Clubs’ violence prevention and job training programs. The operating cost of running the three Springfield youth centers is 2.6 million dollars annually.The Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield has everything from homework help and technology centers to a game room and a full-sized gym. It also provides 80,000 meals per year."Obviously it's for kids and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield served over 14,000 kids last year," said Gartland.Gartland said the tax credits come at the perfect time: the Boys and Girls Clubs are celebrating their 70th year in Springfield."This is our 70th year. So we've been in town a long time and helped a lot of kids," said Gartland.The Boys and Girls Clubs will open Monday, June 1st for the summer. To enroll a child in the summer program you can call 862-9249. For KSMU News, I’m Matt Evans.