Hazel ran her hand along a panel of switches. Light filled the entranceway. “We had a funding shortfall. It affected the programs we could continue.”
“Are the people who work here paid or volunteers?”
“They’re a mix of both, but mostly volunteers. Some of our volunteers are exceptional. Others come once or twice, then we never see them again.”
Matthew followed Hazel into a large room. In one corner, half a dozen computers sat on shared desks. In another, full bookshelves were surrounded by beanbags and overstuffed sofas.
“The kitchen is through those doors. We have a sports center at the back of the building and the bathrooms are on the right-hand side.”
Matthew knew the kitchen was one of the areas that had suffered from the loss of the grant money. He walked across the room and stood in the doorway. “It looks as though the contractors got halfway through the kitchen, then stopped.”
Hazel nodded. “We only have one oven and a small counter and refrigerator. The original plans had a full commercial kitchen with plenty of storage. The size of the kitchen limits what we can do.”
“That must be disappointing.” He left the kitchen and walked toward the sports area. “How many children come to the center?”
“When we’re open, about forty teenagers come here during the day. After school, we usually see between seventy and eighty children.”
“Eighty? How do you manage?”
“The lack of resources doesn’t worry the kids. We keep them busy with lots of craft activities and things that aren’t expensive. The local church donates food and warm clothes for the kids. It’s amazing how much better their behavior is when they have a full tummy.”
Hazel must have seen the shock on his face.
“We do what we can,” she said. “Some of the children who come here are living with parents who are drug addicts and alcoholics. Other families are doing their best, but when you only earn enough to pay your rent, everything else becomes a luxury. We want to break the cycle of poverty, but it isn’t easy.”
Hazel opened the door to the sports area.
“Wow. This is an enormous space.” Matthew tipped back his head. The ceiling must have been four stories high. Long, narrow windows ran along three of the walls. Shafts of sunlight fell against the concrete floor reminding him of a cathedral he’d once visited. The room was enormous, imposing, and full of possibilities.
“The entire building used to be a warehouse. This was the storage and distribution area. The room we came through was the packing area.”
Matthew ran his eye along the wooden beams and brick walls. “Did the Foundation get an engineer’s report before they bought the building?”
“I don’t know, but I could find out.”
“Thanks. That would be great.” He studied the painted lines on the floor. “The kids play basketball in here?”
“And volleyball and ten-pin bowling. We keep the equipment locked away.”
Matthew had to stop himself from getting too excited. He wasn’t here to help with the center, he was here to find proof that Jasmine had been having an affair with Congressman Welsh.
“You said the Foundation owns the entire building. What’s on the floors above us?”
“They’re empty. Originally the Foundation was going to renovate the rooms into apartments, but they ran out of money.”
His mind was definitely working overtime now. There must be a way that the Foundation could make this building work for the children.
“I’ll show you the bathrooms.”
Matthew’s eyebrows rose. “Why the bathrooms?”
Hazel smiled as she led him into the first part of the building. “For two reasons. The first is that it’s the only area that was finished before we had funding issues. The second is that it makes a huge difference to the children.”
“How?”
“They can have a shower and wash their hair while they’re here. Polly Davies used to be a hairdresser. She volunteers on Thursdays, cutting hair and getting rid of nits.”
Matthew scratched the side of his head.
