the Greater Portland Police Activities League Program said Tuesday that without additional funding it will be forced to close its centers in Portland and Gresham on Friday, Feb. 15.
Beavertons PAL center is expected to stay open for now.
A Tuesday press release said the ongoing reduction of governmental funding and the economic times have placed the organization in the position to need to make this difficult decision.
It is with great sadness that this wonderful program may have to close, said PAL board member Cliff Madison. It has made a great impact in the lives of many kids in our community and has taken down many of the walls between Cops, Kids and Community. It will be missed.
The closure will include both the Bud Monnes PAL Center in Gresham and the PAL Office at the Portland Police Bureaus North Precinct.
PAL returned to the Portland area in 1989. The national youth program is a partnership between all of the law enforcement agencies in Multnomah County as well as the Beaverton Police Department.
PAL operated programs from the Gresham Youth Center, overseeing Portland youth football, National Youth Sports Camps at Portland State University, PAL Camp, fishing, archery and art programs.
In 2012, PAL served more than 3,000 children and the Gresham PAL Center daily serves breakfast and lunch to 80 to 100 kids.