WINTER GARDEN, Fla. — A new state-of-the-art Boys & Girls Club is now open in Winter Garden, creating space for hundreds more children and teens to learn, grow, and spend time in a safe environment after school and during the summer.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida celebrated the grand opening Thursday of its new June Family Branch, a 30,000-square-foot facility designed to dramatically expand the organization’s reach in the community.
The new facility increases the organization’s capacity in Winter Garden by more than 400%, allowing the club to serve more than 300 children and teens each day.
“This is a transformational investment in the children and families of Winter Garden,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida said.
The facility was designed with separate spaces for younger children and teenagers — including separate entrances — giving each group its own environment and sense of identity.
The Teen Center includes an Arts Lab and Maker Space, Music Studio, Dance Studio, Technology Lab, and College & Career Lab.
Younger members have access to a Youth Center featuring a STEM and Robotics Lab, Health & Life Science Learning Center, Arts Lab, Game Room, and a “Zen Den.”
The expansion comes after nearly three decades of Boys & Girls Clubs serving children in Winter Garden. The organization said demand for its programs had long outgrown the former facility.
The need for those services is significant.
According to Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida, 90% of local Club members qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 85% come from families earning $40,000 or less annually, and half live in single-parent households.
Despite those challenges, the organization reports a 100% high school graduation rate among its seniors.
The June Family Branch was made possible through years of community investment and partnerships, including the June Family, Foundation for a Healthier West Orange, Dr. Phillips Charities, the City of Winter Garden, and the Orange County Commission.
The grand opening brought together Club members, community leaders, elected officials, law enforcement representatives, and the donors and partners who helped make the new facility possible.
For local families, the new building represents more than additional space. It provides hundreds of young people with access to structured programming, mentors, and educational opportunities during the critical hours after school and throughout the summer.
The June Family Branch is located at 459 9th St. in Winter Garden.
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