MINNEAPOLIS- The neighborhood around George Floyd Square in South Minneapolis, affectionately known as the ‘Southside Village’ is anchored by a community organization that faces an uncertain future.
The fate of the Southside Village Boys and Girls Club, which is owned by the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation, could be determined on June 18th by the Minneapolis Park Board. The board’s vote has been postponed multiple times, frustrating the community, staff, and parents of the students who participate in the club’s activities.
“I can think of the trouble that I got in, if it wasn’t for the Boys and Girls Club and playing basketball on that rim,” said Marquise Bowie, who used the Southside Village Boys and Girls Club as a boy. “That [closing] would be a disservice to specifically black and brown kids.”
Southside Village Boys and Girls Club has been at its current location since the 1990s. It serves K-12 students through after-school programs, sports leagues, mentorship, and summer programs. For some kids, this experience can be life-changing for not only athletic success but for a lifelong membership to the community.
According to the Senior Branch Director Mark Graves, the clubs provide essential support for students and families at various financial levels, but a majority of the families are single-income households below the poverty line.
“The clubs’ provide the members a snack when they arrive from school and also serve members dinner daily. This is very impactful for working parents [who] get off from work late or they might be struggling to find resources,” Graves said.
Recently, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Lynx professional basketball teams paid to renovate the club’s basketball gym and continue to support the club through programs such as a holiday shopping spree for the kids.
Graves, along with several of his staff, are alumni of the Southside Village Boy and Girls Club. Some students come from other parts of Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs because of their familial connection to the community.
“It takes a village to raise a child,” said Graves. The “village” is now hoping the park board will allow their lease to continue.
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