09-04-2025
Boys and Girls Clubs expanding across East TN amid federal funding uncertainty
ROCKY TOP, Tenn. (WATE) — While the organization is still weighing the impact federal cuts may have on their programs, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley is expanding into more rural communities, starting with the demolition of a Rocky Top building to create more space for programs.
'Sometimes a lot of people think that we only serve urban areas, but, this is a prime example of how we do not. We also are trying to reach out to rural and also suburban areas as well,' said Nikki Swisher, executive director of the Anderson County Boys and Girls Club.
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As a former educator, Swisher said not only do clubs like this one provide a safe space for children to go after school, but they also help children become more successful.
'The number of children that are being raised by families, especially grandparents, those are the ones that I feel like are the most impactful,' she said. 'I don't know if you've done homework with it with kids lately, but it's not very easy of course, and so we have staff here that are equipped that they can help with homework.'
President and CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, Bart McFadden, said they currently serve five counties in East Tennessee. They partner with local schools and community centers to keep costs down while meeting children where they are.
'Really being able to do that allows us to serve kids in a more efficient and more effective way long term,' said McFadden. 'Right now, at a time where there's funding instability, there's uncertainty at the federal level, it really gives us a more sustainable, efficient model to help us ensure that kids are going to be served now and well into the future.'
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Despite navigating the potential impact that federal funding cuts could have, he says they plan to continue to expand into rural communities. In Rocky Top, that means taking buildings like the vacant one on their lot and turning it into a space where children can grow.
'These are all efforts that are supported by the local community,' said McFadden. 'Private donors that have said, 'hey, this is important to us, we know it's going to make a difference in our community, let's go do it.''
McFadden said they are confident the organization will adjust to potential federal funding cuts in the long term, but they are uncertain what impact they will have in the near future.
However, by relying on the community for projects like this one, he said they are creating more opportunities for children across the region.
'With taking the building down it gives us a couple options,' said Swisher. 'We could either serve more children here or we can take the time to really just enhance the grounds and be able to offer more programing services for our youth.'
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Currently, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley serves Blount, Anderson, Claiborne, Loudon, and Knox Counties. By the end of this year, they plan to open a public housing site in Campbell County.
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