Washington, DC (November 19, 2007) – Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) announced today that the Boys & Girls Club of McAllen has been awarded more than $225,000 by the U.S. Department of Justice. The funds have been used to open new Boys & Girls centers at Wilson Elementary School and Lamar Academy in McAllen ISD. The money will also help the Boys & Girls Club of McAllen provide technical assistance for the launch of a new club in Alton, Texas.

“Boys & Girls clubs have touched the lives of thousands of young men and women in our region. They have been incredibly effective in taking kids off the street and providing them the environment they need to succeed,” said Hinojosa. “This grant will help them reach even more at-risk youth who deserve the support and enrichment these clubs offer.”

The Boys & Girls Club of McAllen has played an integral role in the community for 42 years, providing daily programs and services to more than 15,000 young people. The Club offers programs that emphasize character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, health and life skills, the arts, sports, and recreation. With the opening of these three new locations, Boys and Girls Club of McAllen will now have 11 sites at clubhouses and schools.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America comprises a national network of more than 3,700 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving more than 4.4 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances.

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