WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina recently purchased six buses with the help of the New Hanover Community Endowment.

The endowment gave the Boys & Girls Club a two-year grant totaling $1,653,200.

“A significant focus of funding is on the acquisition of transportation equipment, a critical need for the organization. In Wilmington the Boys & Girls Club transports Club members every day from 22 local schools to our Club sites,” a news release states. “Providing transportation for elementary, middle and high school students is a critical piece of ensuring that the Boys & Girls Clubs are available to as many youth as possible. The six newly acquired vehicles include three brand-new 72-passenger buses, one large used bus and two new minibusses. A phenomenal upgrade to the organization’s fleet and will allow us to retire several of our oldest vehicles.”

Officials say the grant will allow the Boys & Girls Clubs to launch a literacy intervention program, “to enhance leadership development programming, and to increase the number of youth served.”

“The transformative grant from the New Hanover County Endowment is a game changer for us. Getting kids to our Clubs is key to achieving our mission. These new buses will allow us to reach more children, with safe reliable vehicles, ensuring that they have access to our life-changing programs in a safe and supportive environment,” says Kristin McPeters, Chief Development Officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern North Carolina.

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