I have been a New York City public school teacher for almost thirteen years and, during this time, I have had the opportunity to observe how many children are in desperate need of role models and community establishments for them to spend time off the city streets. Boys & Girls Clubs of America has addressed this need in many inner-city communities by providing a variety of programs to equip America’s kids who are in crisis with the skills necessary to succeed.
Some of these programs include education and career training, character and leadership building, health and life skills, the Arts, sports, and fitness activities. As a whole, they are designed to give children hope for a better future and to provide them with new opportunities that they might not otherwise have had access to. Many of the kids who attend the Boys & Girls Clubs of America begin to engage in more positive behaviors and set personal goals which eventually allow them to become independent and productive members of their communities.
April 7th through April 13th is National Boys & Girls Club Week! This celebratory week was established to highlight the invaluable service that Clubs bring to the communities that they serve and to demonstrate why great futures begin for young people at the Boys & Girls Clubs. This year, they are encouraging everyone to “Open the door. Take the tour” which invites local communities to visit their neighborhood Clubs and get a first-hand look at the magic that happens behind their blue doors. Also, you can take a virtual club tour by opening the blue door online.
The fun doesn’t stop there though, Clubs across the country are also planning fun daily activities for Club members, their parents and the entire neighborhood to enjoy. They include teen forums, carnivals, health fairs and many other exciting activities. Many Boys & Girls Clubs also use this week as a chance to give back to the community by volunteering at homeless shelters or assisted living facilities.
For more information on how you can support the National Boys & Girls Clubs in your communities make sure you visit their website. They provide a life changing resource for the many young people and their families that they service. Your support might mean a whole new life for some child and there is no better feeling than bringing hope to the life of someone who previously was hopeless.
Disclosure:I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. I received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.
© 2013, Tough Cookie Mommy. All rights reserved.
This is such a great thing. Giving these kids things to do and places to be is so important.
Boys and Girls Club is such a great organization! My nephew goes to our local one here every day after school. i dont know what my sister would do without it. Thanks boys and girls club!
It’s great that there’s a national organization like this that can offer supportive services to the youth of today. It’s really hard sometimes to equalize childhood norms across the country when so many children grow up living with hardships that they were unfortunately brought into or couldn’t help themselves be a part of. In order to create a stable and supportive environment for children to grow in and thrive under, there has to be some kind of system put into place so that they are not neglected because of personal circumstances. I’m glad the Boys and Girls Club can provide even a little to help a young one gain a path towards personal success.