PROVIDENCE — A nonprofit club that has spent more than three decades teaching sportsmanship, responsibility and fitness to thousands of low-income youths is on the brink of financial collapse, according to its leaders.

The West Elmwood Intruders Social and Team Sports Club, which was founded 33 years ago, has a mission to provide a positive alternative to teenage pregnancy, gang violence and drug abuse by encouraging youngsters to excel academically, athletically and within their communities.

Sterling Washington, group president, said the organization uses its football and cheerleading programs to foster personal development.

It also offers academic tutoring at an afterschool program called Power Hour.

Tutoring is provided by high achieving students from Central, Classical, Hope and Mount Pleasant high schools, who work with middle school students throughout the school year.

The Intruders, one of five neighborhood youth sports leagues in the city, has five football teams that include 175 boys, and five cheerleading squads that include 120 girls.

“The loss of this organization could mean that hundreds of kids would revert to life on the streets,” Washington said. “More girls would be at risk for teenage pregnancy and boys [could be] subject to a violent lifestyle with guns and negativity. To me, this is real personal, since I lost a son to violence.”

Washington said he has appealed to the city for money to keep the program going, but was told that the city does not have money available.

He has taken his appeal to companies, foundations and the public “in a last attempt to continue [this] uplifting team sports and academic tutoring” program next year.

Club leaders estimate that it costs at least $8,000 to run the program; Washington said the Intruders owe about $2,000 to a sports equipment and uniform company.

“It’s just sad,” Washington said. “This organization is like an institution in this community. … We’re celebrating our 33rd year and 34 doesn’t look great, at this point.”

Washington said at least one of the five Intruder teams, which compete against other teams throughout New England, made it to the playoffs this year.

The team has a playoff game Sunday at its home field, Bucklin Field, next to the West End Community Center and West End Recreation Center, off Dexter Street. Washington said officials at the community center and recreation center have been great hosts and have donated time, space and personnel to the league.

The club’s financial woes surfaced last year, but “this is the first time it’s gotten this bad,” Washington said.

Washington said the organization “has learned the art of doing much with few financial resources.”

All of its six football and cheerleading coaches volunteer their time, as do 20 college tutors.

“All of the donations that we receive go directly toward program expenses like uniforms, equipment, renting buses for away games and academic supplies,” Washington said. “Our goal is developing a new generation of young people [who] are healthy, academically prepared and team-oriented. ”

For information, call Washington at (401) 230-4003 or write to the West Elmwood Social and Team Sports Club, 54 Cromwell St., Providence, RI 02907.