The National Urban League is celebrating its 100th Birthday in Washington DC.
in Broome County, the Southern Tier branch will not get a piece of the birthday cake.
In the last few years, The Broome County Urban League has lost a considerable amount of funding, forcing the local branch into a new direction.
The economic climate is forcing programs to fold and leaving community services to dry up.
The Broome County Urban League is looking for answers.
Broome County Urban League President Jennifer Lesko says, "we could completely dissolve under another agency we can become a subsidiary of another agency and thats really what we're leaning towards."
Lesko says the Binghamton YMCA may be the solution.
The Y would absorb up to 50,000 dollars in the costs for branch.
In 2004 the Urban League's tutoring program got 80,000 dollars in funding, this year, zero.
The after school and summer programs once got close to 130,000 dollars in funding, giving lower income families a free option for childcare.
Now the these programs share less than 60 ,000 dollars a year.
One parent, Jay Brhel says, " Its tremendous for us otherwise we couldn't afford to send him anywhere and that would be more strain on our older children."
According to Lesko, becoming a subsidiary of the YMCA would allow the Urban League to keep its current programs and services
But the national office says Urban League branches work like franchises.
Each practically operate on their own monetary sources.
The national office says no branch has ever become a subsidiary of the YMCA or any another organization.
If that happens, the branch would therefore be breaking its affiliate agreement and lose its Urban League identity.
Lesko says they're running out of options.
Lesko says, "I think its really time that we come together and generate some discussion and look at how we can collaborate and share resources."
Another parent, Tonia Benjamin says she'd fight for the organization if he had to close its doors.
Bejamin says, "I guess we'd have to get a petition to get a new one or open this one back up for the safety of our kids."
Lesko says, "Our goal is to help folks who are under-served disadvantaged to gain economic self sufficency and provide them with services."
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