Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida expanding

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida are expanding in Eatonville.

The organization on Thursday broke ground on a new part of the Joe R. Lee Branch, to double its overall capacity. When it's finished, the space will be more than 23,000 square feet.  The expansion will help them serve up to 250 children every day.

"We feel a direct obligation to make sure we create opportunities and dreams for children, and this Boys & Girls Club will play a critical role in doing that in this community, so I'm so excited to be a part of it," said U.S. Rep. Val Demings, D-Orlando.

More than 50 percent of children in Eatonville live at or below the poverty level, compared to 21 percent nationwide.