Time is running out for an after school drop-in program for youth in the community of Hillsborough, N.B.
The centre is closing at the end of February after the club was notified in December that it had lost $30,000 in funding from its largest grant provider, according to Lynda Carey, the Riverview and Hillsborough Boys and Girls Club’s executive director.
“The cut was half of the annual budget for this program in one fell swoop,” said Carey.
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Without those funds, Carey says the club simply cannot afford to keep the after school drop-in program running.
She said roughly 80 youth in the community are enrolled in the program, which is located next to the village’s two schools.
Sherry Alcorn’s granddaughter attends the program. She says that youth in the small village have few after school activity options.
“We can’t lose this from Hillsborough,” she said. “My second concern other than children is our village.”
A community Scotiabank branch shut down last June, and in October the village grocer across the street also closed its doors.
“Hillsborough cannot lose anything else,” said Carey, who said she asked the province for temporary funding to keep the centre open.
“With great sympathy and compassion they have had to turn us down.”
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Alcorn worries the loss of the after school program will prevent young families from moving to the village.
“Without this it is just another knock of what will their kids do if they do move here and work in town,” she said.
Alcorn is organizing volunteers to seek out funding from local businesses, non-profit groups, and residents but say raising enough money to save the centre will be a an uphill battle.
A community meeting is being held at the club on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. for people who want to brainstorm ways to raise funds to keep the program running.