Flooding has caused extensive damage at Jacksonville’s Bridge Boys & Girls Club, disrupting services for roughly 100 children. The source of the water remains unconfirmed, and community support will be crucial as the organization begins recovery efforts.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Bridge Boys & Girls Club in the Springfield neighborhood is assessing significant damage after floodwaters filled the building Friday, forcing the temporary disruption of a vital program serving about 100 children each day.
Club officials suspect a burst pipe may have caused the flooding, although the source has not been confirmed. Wyatt Parlette, chief operations officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida, said employees initially believed the water was coming from a leaking roof.
“Friday morning, we got the call here at the Bridge Boys and Girls Club that what they initially thought was a roof leak had actually been caused by a burst pipe, and the entire club was taking on water. It was a scary moment,” Parlette said.
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The flooding damaged ceilings and walls and destroyed computers, board games and school supplies, Parlette said. Staff evacuated everyone from the building and contacted JEA to disconnect the electricity.
“We made sure that all team members inside the building and all young people were out of the building. We had JEA come cut all the power and make sure there were no safety issues. Then we started our assessment and realized that the whole club had water damage,” Parlette said.
Since 1983, the Bridge has served generations of children in Springfield by offering homework assistance, meals, mentorship and a safe after-school environment.
Club leaders are now evaluating the building to determine when it can safely reopen.
“We can get back into this club soon, but we want to make sure we do it as safely as possible. So, the timeline right now, we just don’t know. We’re waiting until everything dries out and working with water remediation companies to make sure everything is safe, and then we’ll go from there. We’re blessed to have the NFL YET club down the street to be able to continue to serve,” Parlette said.
While repairs are underway, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida is arranging for affected children to attend other club locations. Parlette said donations and public awareness will help the organization repair the facility and replace critical supplies.
“The more we can get the word out and share on social media, we’re just trying to build this place back to where it was before and what our families deserve,” Parlette said.
Officials have not confirmed what caused the flooding, and no reopening date has been announced.
Those who would like to support the organization can click here to donate.