$2 million Fall River initiative to provide youth with extra-curricular programs

(FALL RIVER, MA- June 30, 2023)- The City of Fall River is launching the ‘For Youth Initiative’, a program created using $2M in ARPA funds. This initiative, proposed by City Councilor Laura Washington, is aimed to provide Fall River youth from low-income and middle-incomes households scholarship opportunities to pursue extra-curricular programs. In addition, it will support the small businesses and non-profit organizations that offer activities for youth, and were economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Mayor’s Office, the initiative is crucial for the youth in the City of Fall River due to the COVID-19 pandemic placing a strain on their physical, social, and economic well-being.

“Children that may never have had the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities or are unable to any longer due to the economic impacts of the pandemic on their families, have an opportunity to do so through this initiative. The For Youth Initiative is also aimed to assist small businesses and non-profit organizations that offer extracurricular activities and have faced economic hardship due to the pandemic.”

The Boys and Girls Club is administering the program for the City of Fall River, and will begin to accept applications from vendors located within the City that provide activities to youth, including, but not limited to music, art, dance, boxing, martial arts, sports, and more. Once vendors have been approved, a listing of these vendors will be compiled and distributed to Fall River families, as well as listed at www.fallriverma.org, and will be available at the Boys and Girls Club. Fall River families will then be able to sign their youth up for a scholarship spot at an approved vendor.