Stewart said Middletown City Manager Ashley Combs called her Thursday to let her know the city would donate the $60,000 needed to finish out CBI’s summer programs.
“I just broke out in tears,” she said.
“The summer program plays a vital role in developing the well-being of young people in our community,” Combs said. “Supporting initiatives like this is a direct investment in their future and our city’s future. Our community thrives when we invest in our children.”
Stewart had been keeping the city updated on the programs’ status, but Thursday’s “call came totally as a surprise.”
“I am so happy, first and foremost, for the kids...I’m very happy for the staff because I’m mindful that this is a camp experience for the kids, but it is also staff’s livelihood,” she said.
Twenty-eight summer and full-time staff were expected to lose their jobs pending the pause Friday, but now, they are able to keep their positions through the end of July.
CBI, which runs summer camps and after-school programs for area students, relies on federal funding for 75% of its budget, specifically the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant program.
Funds for the 21st CCLC were recently cut due to a decision from the U.S. Department of Education, which temporarily delayed funds for fiscal year 2025.
The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce was notified July 1 of the pause, and CBI received notice July 7.
I've always told my staff, this building belongs to the kids. We are just visitors and our jobs are to keep them safe.
CBI Middletown operates an 100-student summer camp with the funding that includes full-day programming from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; daily breakfast, lunch and snacks; four field trips; internship transportation for high school students; and staff support.
Now, the summer camp is able to run its full program length.
CBI also offers an after school program, which serves seven elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. The program requires about $150,000 annually to operate 2.5 hours of daily programming.
The upcoming program for the 2025-26 school year remains suspended as long as funding is not reinstated.
“That’s a lot of staff and that’s a lot to try to manage without having a clear vision of how all of that will be paid for,” Stewart said. “We’re working on it...we definitely have hope.”
“Looking ahead, I am also committed to exploring opportunities to assist with their after-school program,” Combs said.
Though Stewart is unsure of the fate of the fall program, the $60,000 donation allows CBI to “shift” its focus from saving the summer programs to what can be done for the fall program.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center (RSHCC), where CBI is located, will remain open and operational at 800 Lafayette Avenue.
RSHCC and the city have a contractual agreement where the city provides $156,000 annually to keep operations running. Additional local grants help keep the doors open.
“We will make that we have a space for (kids) to come to after school, and they’re welcome to anything in this building,” Stewart said. “I’ve always told my staff, this building belongs to the kids. We are just visitors and our jobs are to keep them safe.”
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