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New A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club Facility Opens in Alabama; Project Financed by HOPE

February 19th, 2020   

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Feb. 19, 2020, for a  new facility at the A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club in Birmingham, Ala. The project, which was financed by HOPE, expands access to tutoring and mentoring for youth in the Alabama city. HOPE CEO Bill Bynum delivers remarks at Feb. 19, 2020, ribbon-cutting at A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club

The facility, named after A.G. Gaston Boys & Girls Club champion and former Board Chairman, Walter Howlett, Jr., will replace the overcrowded, aging Kirkwood R. Balton Clubhouse located on South Park Drive. It will increase the capacity for an average daily attendance to 450 children and youth. The Howlett Clubhouse will offer several new features not currently present in the Balton Clubhouse – a dedicated Teen Center, a Café with a connected teaching kitchen and a permanent Performance Space.

HOPE CEO Bill Bynum joined A.G. Gaston CEO Frank Adams, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Boys & Girls Clubs of America CEO and President Jim Clark, A.G. Gaston board members and other supporters for the event. 

“Over the years we have invested $2.5 billion in businesses, housing, community facilities that have benefited more than 1.5 million people in some of nation’s most impoverished communities,” Bynum said. “None more important than the $9 million NMTC that we invested in this project, or the children and families that will benefit from the support and experiences they will receive behind these walls.”

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with so many others who understand that investing in these children is an investment in their future workforce, future managers, CEOs, and very likely a future mayor,” Bynum said.

The 25,000 sq. facility, constructed by Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC, is specifically designed for program efficiency and safety for the youth of Birmingham. The first floor of the new clubhouse will be dedicated to the developmental needs of youths ages 6-12, while the second floor will serve teens ages 13-18.

Through a partnership with the City of Birmingham, the Walter J. Howlett, Jr. Clubhouse is built near the Birmingham Crossplex, which will increase the Club’s visibility and public accessibility, while also placing us directly across the street from the Birmingham Public Library, in which the clubhouse plans to partner with the library on literacy and education programs.