Bellevue Boys and Girls Club is in line for a $500,000 grant for community center improvements, following action by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.

Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee said she included the money as one of several projects to boost King County transportation and economic development.

The key spending bill will now move to the full Appropriations Committee for consideration.

If approved, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue will receive funding to provide for the expansion of existing community facilities to accommodate the growing needs of very low-income residents from the Eastside Terrace, Hidden Village, and Spiritwood Manor public housing sites in east King County.

There is also a growing need for program additions to assist very low-income adult tenants in their efforts toward self-sufficiency and employment goals.

A large percentage of current residents are from ethnic backgrounds where English is not their primary language and this poses a barrier to people looking for and obtaining jobs that pay a living wage. Additional community space is necessary in order to accommodate the growing needs for services.

“It is common knowledge that Bellevue has a great school system. What’s not commonly known is that there are very poor children in this school district that don’t get the same chances as some of their peers. Expanding the capacity at these three community centers is a chance to level that playing field,” said Kathy Haggart, President and CEO, Boys and Girls Clubs of Bellevue.