I have been associated with the Boys and Girls Club of Kalamazoo for about 10 years and during that period, I have been impressed and amazed by their impact in our community.
The Club has three locations, all in very depressed neighborhoods that serve at-risk kids, primarily those of African American and Latino background.
The Club serves close to 220 kids per day at the 3 locations, and their impact and focus is on academic success, healthy lifestyles, and the development of character and leadership values. They also emphasize community service for their teen members.
I have personally spoken to a number of youth who emphatically state the club has saved their life, and kept them from a life of drugs, teen pregnancy, school dropouts, and gang violence.
This is not a small feat, as in our area, we have 30% of kids who do not even graduate from high school. The Club empowers all kids to seek higher ground and not only graduate high school but go further- on to college.
This sums up The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kalamazoo:
After school youth development at its best (3:30 PM-8:00 PM including a hot meal) in a safe harbor, as opposed to a local neighborhood environment where many of the kids only have one parent or custodian at home and rarely have a full stomach, heat or are spared from abuse and violence.
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- EIN 38-1627080
- info@bgckzoo.org
- (269) 349-4485
- 4000 Portage Street Suite 201 Kalamazoo MI 49001 USA
- http://www.bgckzoo.org/
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Nonprofit Overview
Causes: Boys & Girls Clubs, Children & Youth
Mission: To enhance the quality of life of young people through education, art, health and recreational, especially for those who need us most.
Programs: Lake st. Unit: youth development programs - afterschool youth development activities to 96 youth daily; 1,169 individual youth served annually. Family support programs - parenting workshops provided to approximately 500 individual parents and guardians annually.
residential summer camp - overnight camp for youth ages 8-13; approximately 162 youth served each summer.
douglas and northeastern units: youth development activities to 103 youth daily: 1,041 individual youth served annually. Family support programs - parenting workshops provided to over 25 individual parents and guardians annually.