Boys and Girls Club of Decatur ready to welcome kids in after school program

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The Boys and Girls Club of Decatur is set to open its doors for its after school program on August 19th.

"We provide meals, activities, field trips, STEM projects, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts. Those are just a few of the programs we offer," said Robert Crawford, Program Director at the Boys and Girls Club of Decatur.

Crawford has been a staple at the club for 20 years, saying, "I got one family that's a 5th generation that comes, so that tells you how long I've been here."

The club is a place kids can go if their parents are still at work when school gets out and to help keep them safe.

"This Boys and Girls Club is a vital piece to the community to keep the kids out of trouble, keep them engaged, give them something to do — another outlet to stay out of trouble," Crawford said.

The club provides free meals and homework tutors every day, but Crawford says they need help from the community to stay running smoothly.

"Walk in the door and just see what we do on a daily basis." Crawford continued, saying, "It takes a special person to do this job and for us to come together as a community. This is a vital piece for the community."

The Boys and Girls Club accepts kids ages 7-18.