Sara Holbrook Community Center suspends programming due to financial struggles

The Sara Holbrook Community Center announced the youth-focused nonprofit will indefinitely suspend services effective Aug. 1. After 87 years in service, "financial realities" have made it impossible for the center to continue its efforts.

In a press release Tuesday, the nonprofit said that "after a deep assessment of our financial picture, the board had no other choice but to move forward with this difficult decision."

Chair of the Board of Directors Kristin Fontaine said multiple factors led to the current financial situation. The center "stepped up to meet the needs of the community" during the COVID-19 pandemic and used funding that was available then. Unfortunately, the funding came to an end and left the organization with fewer resources for community needs that weren't going away.

The Sara Holbrook Community Center has been a center for support, education and development since 1937, serving Burlington youth and families through multiple programs. Those programs included afterschool and full-day programming, summer camps, adventure and leadership opportunities, all for children between kindergarten and grade 12.

The Sara Holbrook Community Center will help current employees find new opportunities in the wake of this decision, according to the press release. Fontaine said that the staff has been great, but the need for more employees was a struggle that impacted funding when they tried to offer competitive pay when hiring.

Sara Holbrook Community Center closed early childhood program last year

This announcement comes nearly a year after the SHCC ended their early childhood program, a decision that was also cited for financial reasons at the time.

It also comes about five years after the center opened the doors of a new facility, a $4.3 million expansion at the North Avenue location. The center says they still intend to keep the building operational, opening the doors to the Burlington School District which will house students there next year during the construction at the Integrated Arts Academy.

The press release stated that the time the building is rented out "will allow the board to take time to explore how to effectively and responsibly meet the future needs of community consistent with our mission." Fontaine said they are in "crisis mode" and hope the board will meet soon to discuss the future of the center in more depth.

Integrated Arts Academy to move in

Fontaine and the Sara Holbrook Community Center have been working with the Integrated Arts Academy along with the mayor's office, Burlington School District, United Way, the Family Room, King Street Center and the Boys and Girls Club to get the families that will be losing services into similar programs elsewhere.

"So many strong organizations are doing work here in Burlington," Fontaine said. "It is somewhere where I feel so honored to raise my family. In a beautiful community that comes together, and we help each other. I want to make sure that everyone, all kiddos, have the same opportunities and the same ability to live their dreams."

Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@gannett.com.