Terre Haute community center caught up in Trump administration education cuts
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Nonprofit and city leaders in Terre Haute are sounding alarm bells about the impending closure of a local community center due to federal funding cuts.
The 14th and Chesnut Community Center has been operating for 25 years providing after-school care and summer programming, but now the nonprofit says it will be forced to close due to the cancellation of a 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant.
The grant would have provided $372,000 a year for four years, according to 14th and Chesnut.
The 21st CCLC grants are federally funded through the U.S. Department of Education, which President Donald Trump is seeking to dismantle.
Connor Scanlon, director of 14th and Chesnut, said the funding was needed to pay the center’s staff and utilities bills.
“This grant is a very substantial amount of money for us,” Scanlon said in a written statement. “It was essentially a lifeboat to save us.”
14th and Chesnut says 250 kids took part in the center’s summer programming that included field trips, meals and mentoring. During the academic year, the community center offers after-school care to between 40 and 70 kids. The center also organizes a food bank and says all its programming is free.
Scanlon said the nonprofit employs seven full-time staff but depends on high school and college students to work part-time.
Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun posted a message on social media caling on civic leaders to step up and donate to keep the center operating.
“Sometimes federal cuts seem fake. You can’t picture them or feel their impact. But other times, it hits you right in the stomach. I’m asking local businesses and community members to help 14th and Chestnut right now. We have to find a way to keep this facility open,” Sakbun wrote.
Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced it was pausing close to $6 billion in educational grants to states. For Indiana, that amount totaled around $100 million, including $20 million in 21st CCLC grants.