LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Nearly six weeks after a Lake Worth Beach nonprofit pleaded with city leaders for help, staff say they're still waiting for answers.
WATCH BELOW: 'The city staff cannot approve a fee waiver, it has to go to commission,' Assistant Director Stuart Sword tells WPTV
For The Children, a local nonprofit that provides afterschool programs, tutoring, and leadership development for underserved youth, said it's running out of space to serve the growing number of students who rely on its programs.
During a city commission meeting in early September, nonprofit staff asked for help finding affordable access to more space. The city's proposal — $10,000 a month to use another facility — is simply not possible, according to board member Tom McArdle.
"There literally has not been an inch of progress since," McArdle told WPTV.
He said the nonprofit has reached a breaking point.
"For The Children is constantly having to tell families, no, we can't take your child, because we're at capacity," he said.
Since WPTV first reported on this issue, McArdle said communication with the city has led nowhere — and he fears it's the children who will be impacted the most.
Lake Worth Beach
'It just gets crowded': Nonprofit asks city for help as space issues grow
"The reality is, programs like this aren't just a place for kids to go after school," McArdle said. "There are two girls that were in this program before who couldn't come back this year, because of the lack of space — and they've gone missing. That's what we're dealing with when you talk about at-risk kids. We're talking about the underserved kids, and not just the kids on the south side, all across Lake Worth. We're trying to serve more of this community and the city says they want to help do that but there actions say otherwise."
Seeking answers, WPTV reached out to the city's Leisure Services Department. Assistant Director Stuart Sword said the process has stalled because of incomplete paperwork.
"It's just a request, right? I can't take an email to the commission that doesn't have the scope and scale, the frequency, the duration… what is the ask is still the question that's outlined," Sword explained.
WATCH BELOW: 'There's a lot more we can do through our partnership with the city,' Tom McArdle tells WPTV
Sword said once the nonprofit completes a two-page fee waiver form, he'll bring it before the commission for review — since city staff cannot approve waivers themselves.
"The city staff cannot approve a fee waiver — it has to go to commission," Sword said.
He couldn't say how much of the $10,000 monthly fee might be waived or whether the nonprofit would gain additional access to the Osborne Community Center, but said the department is open to collaboration.
"Obviously, we want people to have sufficient services available to them," Sword added.
McArdle said he hopes help comes sooner than later.
"We've gone from optimistic to disappointed," he said. "This is a small nonprofit that's trying to do more for the young people especially but the community at large."
