Fallon Youth Club Built for Kids, Backed by the Community

What started as three modular trailers on school property has grown into one of Fallon’s most important community resources: the Fallon Youth Club. From the beginning, its mission has been simple—make sure every child has a safe place to go after school, no matter what.

Director Shannon Goodrick remembers opening day in 2004. “We had 25 students,” she said. “Growing to 100 by week's end.”

A small group of board members first identified the need for an after-school program in Fallon. They partnered briefly with the Boys and Girls Club before deciding a local, community-specific facility would better serve families. That’s when Goodrick was brought on to lead what became the Fallon Youth Club.

Even through tough times—like the 2008 recession—the board kept the club afloat by diversifying revenue and keeping it affordable. Today, the club operates under a “30% rule,” meaning no single funding source can account for more than 30% of its revenue. Even with 34.5% of the budget coming from grants, those are divided across four different awards.

“The thing we are most proud of is the 40% that of our budget is raised here in our community between private donations and our fundraising events,” Goodrick said. “These make up nearly half of our budget and is funded locally.”

In 2017, the city, county, and youth center agreed to build a new facility. Construction progressed until COVID-19 halted operations and closed the club for 16 weeks. With grant deadlines still in place, the team got creative. Staff produced and mailed pamphlets with learning activities to members’ homes—giving families tools to keep kids busy and on track.

In February 2021, the Fallon Youth Club officially moved to its new location at 324 Pennington Circle. By 2024, enrollment had grown to 456 children. Nearly half had attended for more than two years. The club serves a wide cross-section of the community: 38% of members live with both parents, 29% with a single parent, 16% with a parent and stepparent, and 9% with others such as relatives or foster families. Half of all members live in poverty, and another 38.7% fall into the low to moderate income range. Just 12% live above the poverty line.

The club helps members understand the value of their education. They work daily with their partners to ensure that each member has opportunities to experience learning in a fun way. Through homework assistance and tutoring, learning happens all day! FYC connects parents, teachers and afterschool staff to help reach positive outcomes for each student.

In April 2024, the Fallon Youth Center continued to grow, launching The Little Club House for infants and young children. Its mission: to provide a childcare facility for families and the community.

Program costs are kept low—$35 per week for after-school care and $75 during summer break. This is accomplished with family fees, grants, fundraising, and community giving. The club is working toward a goal of 1,000 people giving $10 per month. That $10,000 would help pay for after-school supplies, COVID-relief needs, and staff health insurance.

Out of 31 dedicated FYC staff members, 20 grew up attending the youth center, graduated high school, and are now part of the staff. These very members come back to work at the facility that gave them so much.

For more information or to join, the Fallon Youth Club can be reached at (775) 423-6926, online at www.fallonyouthclub.com or via email at [email protected].