Essential Upgrades With a Lasting Impact
BGC Niagara
Spending money to replace an HVAC system or purchase a curtain divider for a gym doesn’t sound like a lot of fun.
But the impact of the two grants in as many years from the David S. Howes Fund for BGC Niagara (formerly Boys and Girls Club of Niagara) to make such purchases is nothing short of exciting— especially for the people using the BGC Niagara facility in Niagara Falls, which benefitted from the upgrades.
It’s this kind of community support that allows us to continue on and build programs in the region. The lives of people are affected for the better.
Joe Macoretta,
Chief Operating Officer
In 2023 and 2024, the BGC Niagara received a total of $80,000 in grants, used mostly to replace the HVAC system servicing the pool. Without the proper ventilation the new system provides, the section of the 15-year-old building that houses the Junior Olympic-size swimming pool would deteriorate.
The organization, which serves both children and adults in Niagara, also used the funding to purchase a gym curtain, allowing the space to be divided and more programs to run simultaneously for different groups.
“This is what allows us to do the work we’re doing,” said Joe Macoretta, Chief Operating Officer for BGC Niagara. “It’s all part of the puzzle, and is important for us to continue doing what we do. With a facility like this, it’s about community impact as a whole.”
That impact looks like serving more than 6,000 local families each year. More specifically, it’s roughly 4,200 aquatics and recreation registrations, including programs like swimming, dance, martial arts, pickleball and Aquafit classes. It’s also 5,822 child and youth Zone program visits, which provides gym time for children between 6 and 18 years old, academic support and a hot meal five days a week. BGC Niagara served more than 138,000 meals and snacks in 2024.
Thanks to the renovations enabled by the Niagara Community Foundation’s support, those activities and services can continue uninterrupted. That’s something you can’t put a price tag on, Macoretta noted.
“It’s this kind of community support that allows us to continue on and build programs in the region. The lives of people are affected for the better,” he said. “The funding was the perfect amount to complete these projects, and kids are receiving support, growing and thriving.”