Boys & Girls Clubs opens new Farmer Club in Roll Hill

More than 150 community members, local officials and supporters gathered Friday for the grand opening of the Richard T. Farmer Boys & Girls Club, a new youth development center in the Villages of Roll Hill.

Located at 3701 President Drive, the $8 million facility will serve more than 300 children and teens each year with after-school programming, summer camps and mentorship opportunities. It replaces a smaller school-based program and marks a major investment in one of Cincinnati’s most underserved neighborhoods.

Funding for the project came from the Farmer Family Foundation, the City of Cincinnati and the Schott Foundation. The Henley family donated the land the development center sits on for $1.

“This facility represents hope, opportunity and a future for the young people of Roll Hill,” said Bill Bresser, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati. “We are grateful to our partners and supporters who made this dream a reality.”

About the event

As part of Friday’s grand opening, BGCGC hosted an open house to give families and family members an opportunity to tour the new club, meet staff and learn about upcoming programs. The nonprofit described it as a way to “connect directly with the youth and families that the new facility was built to support.”

Dignitaries at the event included Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, Hamilton County Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas, former Mayor John Cranley, BGCGC Board Chair and Skyline Chili CEO Dick Williams, and Mary Beth Martin, executive director of the Farmer Family Foundation.

During the event, Bresser also announced the public launch of A New Generation, the largest capital campaign in the history of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The campaign aims to raise $50 million to support expanded services, higher staff wages, facility upgrades and the creation of a new Workforce Development Center in Price Hill. So far, the effort has raised $44.4 million.

The campaign is funding building projects across the region, including renovations at the Buenger & Sheakley Club and construction of the Price Hill center, which will open later this year.