BOCA RATON, Fla. — From social distance kickball in the gymnasium to students sharpening their pencils for arts and crafts, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County has become a safe space for countless kids and a crucial resource for parents.
"I was really confused," said Alexandria Miliante, a single mother with three kids. "I didn't know what I was going to do, to be honest."
Miliante works full-time at a restaurant in Boca Raton. This school year, her 7- and 9-year-old girls will be back at the club for distance learning while classrooms remain closed.
"It was either I lose my job to teach my children, or there was no really other option," Miliante said.
This week, the Boys & Girls Clubs announced it will be extending its hours at 13 locations across the county so parents can still go to work and children won't slide back and be home alone.
"We want to make sure our families know we are here for them," said Jaene Miranda, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County. "Seventy% of our families are single-parent households, and most of them have jobs and they are the only provider for those families."
Starting Aug. 31, the designated clubs will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fifty new staff members will be hired for the expansion, and all staff will be trained on how to use the school district's Google platform for distance learning.
Club members will receive breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner at no cost for families. Each child will also be given a backpack filled with school supplies, but the bags will stay at the clubs to cut down on cross contamination.
"We are following strict (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines to make sure that we keep our kids safe, our staff safe and the community safe," Miranda said.
Rooms are being sanitized every 45 minutes, there are temperature checks for every person entering the clubs and masks are required.
For moms like Miliante, this is an opportunity to still work and support the family.
"It's amazing, and I am less stressed, let's just say that," Miliante said.
Space is limited because of social distancing guidelines. Sign-up has started, but there is high demand. Interested parents should contact their closest club immediately. A full list of clubs can be found at www.bgcpbc.org/clubs.
The Boys & Girls Clubs is now looking to raise $750,000 to cover the additional operating costs. Anyone who would like to donate can visit www.BGCPBC.org.