Illinois Boys & Girls Clubs face funding crisis amid federal cuts

CHICAGO (WGN) — Boys & Girls Clubs across the state of Illinois face an economic crisis, as lost federal funding continues to have a significant impact on working families.

While the organization has ramped up fundraisers to meet the shortfall following the announced cuts back in January, the number of children they can serve remains uncertain.

Single mother and grandmother Amelia Jackson told WGN-TV that the James Jordan Boys & Girls Club on the city’s West Side has helped her tremendously, but she worries about the looming threats of budget cuts.

“I just hope that somehow they can get their funding,” Jackson said.

Susanna Wickham, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, said that 30 percent of their budget last year consisted of grants. Now, the organization is looking to make up the difference through fundraising. The move comes after budget cuts forced the closure of 12 of the Boys & Girls Club’s school-based sites. With the next shoe to drop, Wickham said a vital half-million-dollar food grant is hanging by a thread. 

“Right now we have funding through the end of September, and we just don’t know what happens after that,” Wickham said.

Last year, Boys & Girls Clubs across Chicago served 24,000 students, according to Wickham. In 2025, the number dropped to 15,000 kids.

Despite the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago being able to steer school-based families to one of their eight Legacy Club locations amid a boost in services, officials say that others across the state, especially in central Illinois, aren’t faring as well, creating a crisis.