CRISFIELD — The building fund of It Takes a Village to Help Our Children Inc. has received a check for $1 million from the Office of Gov. Wes Moore to complete the commitment approved last year to assist with the costs of the construction of the Village Youth Center on Asbury Avenue.

The contract has been awarded to JBC Construction and groundbreaking is expected in July on the site where the former H. DeWayne Whittington Primary School once stood.

According to Executive Director Darlene Taylor, the building project began in 2017 and in 2020 the projected cost was $1.5 million with an anticipated completion date of 2022. Due to COVID, the timeline fell behind and with inflation pushed the construction costs to $4 million.

“Small and large donors have kept this project alive,” a spokesperson stated. “A big thank you goes out to each and every individual who has supported and continues to support the youth of Crisfield.”

Major funding partners are:

• Department of Housing and Community Development $800,000;
• Weinberg Foundation $350,000;
• Rural Maryland Council $200,000;
• Somerset County $100,000; and
• The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore $30,000.

Because the project is still lacking about $1 million the plan is for the entire building to be built with part of the interior move-in ready, and the remainder sealed off pending the receipt of additional funds. The projected completion date is now spring of 2025.

The current center for grades K-8 is housed in a former PNC Bank building at 943 West Main Street. In addition to an after school program it holds a summer camp, and a college access program, Shoreway to College.

Contributions may be made to It Takes a Village to Help our Children Inc., 943 W. Main Street, Crisfield, MD 21817.