The Role of Boys and Girls Clubs in America - Essay Example

Get Involved at a Boys & Girls Club of America

Introduction

In contemporary societies, there are those who live below the poverty level, are homeless, indigent, or just in need of physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual support. The older segment and marginalized sectors of society needs assistance in terms of access to affordable health; while youths were acknowledged to require help in academic and character development. It is therefore commendable that there are people who recognized that sharing blessings to others provides a feeling of fulfillment. There are innumerable non-profit or charitable organizations where individuals, groups, private or public corporations could donate, in monetary or non-monetary terms, to worthy causes. One of the most stable non-profit institutions is the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) which had existed for more than 157 years . The mission of BGCA is “to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens” . With BGCA’s extensive reach of 4,300 clubs all over the country, any individual, group of individuals, employees in an organization, or students of a university could participate and be involved in any of BGCA. Being actively involved with a BGCA would contribute immensely to the productive development and growth of the youths while helping realize a feeling of self-fulfillment.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America

The BGCA was reported to have been established in 1860 by three (3) women who lived in Hartford, Connecticut: Mary Goodwin, Alice Goodwin and Elizabeth Hammersley . The main thrust for the development of a club was for the character development of boys who were seen to be roaming the streets. In present times, BGCA boasts to have helped as many as 4 million youngsters annually through community outreach programs and through membership . The various programs of BCGA include sports and recreational programs, education, arts, health and wellness, character and leadership, and career development, among others . Moreover, since BGCA has existed for more than a century and has been acknowledged as consistently assisting youths through time, there are well-known partners who pledged their support to the club, including Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Disney, Toyota, and HSBC, to name just a few .

Ways of Getting Involved

There are different ways of getting involved and being an active part of providing assistance to BGCA’s worthy causes. One of the easiest ways is to volunteer . By volunteering, various works and endeavors could be undertaken, including helping the youths in their homework, teaching an art project, coaching a game, mentoring about life concerns (family, friends, school issues, or other needs). In addition, volunteers get to select on their most convenient time to render services. Moreover, the benefits of volunteering include realizing that the positive impact and contribution to the youths also enable learning something positive, productive, and rewarding in return.

Another way of getting involved with BGCA is through becoming a partner . As stipulated, the “key factors for evaluating a potential partner include the partner’s ability to leverage its assets, raise awareness, make a corporate contribution and/or raise funds and engage its employees and leadership, locally and nationally” . Furthermore, there are immense benefits of becoming BGCA’s partner, including contributing positively through principles of social responsibility and societal change and that consumers attest that they patronize products from socially responsible organizations . To date, there are 68 partners that has pledged assistance to BGCA where financial contributions have actually reached $169,998,455 in 2015 .

Being involved could also be undertaken by joining alumni and friends . As revealed, “Alumni & Friends is a community of former Club members and supporters who aspire to stay connected, network, and give back to Clubs and kids who need us most” . The roster of BGCA’s alumni include actors, professional athletes, and various community leaders, including Shaquille O’Neal, Misty Copeland, Danisha Morales, Ne-Yo, and Trey Songz, to name just a few . These personalities have recognized and acknowledged how advocating towards that attainment of the club’s mission and goals would likewise contribute towards personal and professional growth and development.

Aside from knowing how one could be involved with the programs of BGCA, it is also relevant to be aware of the manner by which people give monetary assistance. As revealed, donations could be made monthly, through planned giving, or through honoring a person by donating a specified amount of money in their name . In addition, donors should also opt to provide stock gifts, birthday gifts in specified people’s names, wedding gifts, organizing a race or walk for the benefit of BGCA, and even becoming a corporate partner . The gift amounts range from $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 and other amounts and could be paid through VISA, Master Card, American Express, Discover Network .

Benefits of Getting Involved

There are immense benefits of getting involved with any of the programs of BGCA

through any of the means that were noted. For one, the volunteer or donor would contribute positively to the personal growth and development of participating youths. As emphasized, “Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe, affordable place for kids and teens during critical out of-school time. They offer life-changing programs and services to youth all across America and on U.S. military installations worldwide” . With the 4 million youths being served annually, the sheer number attested BGCA’s commitment towards positive growth, especially in academic and character development.

Concurrently, by volunteering in any of the programs, for instance, the volunteer would realize a sense of fulfillment which would be beneficial to one’s personal and spiritual well-being. In addition, in sharing one’s time, skills, knowledge, and talents in various endeavors and programs for the youths, there are also opportunities to learn from them and thus, contribute to one’s personal and professional advancement. Youths could share new stories, insights, experiences which could provide learning and recognizing applications of real life concepts. Hearing experiences from their perspectives enable opening avenues for realizing things that were never thought of from commonly known points of views of volunteering adults.

Moreover, those who opted to become partners and contribute sums of money for various worthy causes and programs of BGCA would benefit in terms of financial returns. As attested by various organizations which have participated in charitable programs, consumers were observed to support and patronize product and services of socially responsible organizations. Therefore, greater patronage from customers would mean increase revenues and profits. In addition, the donations, per se, were emphasized to be tax deductible; thus, organizations and partners would incur lesser tax liabilities in the process. Finally, knowing that by being a partner means helping youths, who are recognized to be the bulwarks of future societies, there is a positive impact and image generated that also contributes to a sense of fulfillment.

Conclusion

In retrospect, being actively involved with a BGCA would contribute immensely to the

productive development and growth of the youths while helping realize a feeling of self-fulfillment. The BGCA has existed for more than a century which is a milestone in itself. The programs of BGCA have been attested to have helped millions of youths annually in various geographic locations in the nation. As such, individuals, groups, employees, and even students could start getting involved and earmark to become active participants in BGCA’s worthy causes. Through volunteering, becoming a partner, or joining alumni and friends, people from all walks of life could start sharing whatever small amount in kind or in cash to youths who are in need. There are immense benefits that have been identified to be gained by the donors and volunteers in terms of sharing parts of themselves or the amounts that they have. Partner organizations have acknowledged that consumers patronize products or services of socially responsible organizations, including those who participate in BGCA’s programs. Moreover, donations are regarded as tax deductive and therefore, lesser tax liabilities are incurred. The contributions are clearly earmarked for programs that enable youths to grow in a positive and productive manner.

In sum, the most rewarding benefit of being involved and participating in any of the worthy programs of BGCA is knowing that one has contributed positively towards educating the youths and assisting in character development. At the end of the day, all the assistance would be returned in terms of incalculable sense of fulfillment and the awareness that one has helped even one youth towards the road to success.

Being involved could also be undertaken by joining alumni and friends . As revealed, “Alumni & Friends is a community of former Club members and supporters who aspire to stay connected, network, and give back to Clubs and kids who need us most” . The roster of BGCA’s alumni include actors, professional athletes, and various community leaders, including Shaquille O’Neal, Misty Copeland, Danisha Morales, Ne-Yo, and Trey Songz, to name just a few . These personalities have recognized and acknowledged how advocating towards that attainment of the club’s mission and goals would likewise contribute towards personal and professional growth and development.

Aside from knowing how one could be involved with the programs of BGCA, it is also relevant to be aware of the manner by which people give monetary assistance. As revealed, donations could be made monthly, through planned giving, or through honoring a person by donating a specified amount of money in their name . In addition, donors should also opt to provide stock gifts, birthday gifts in specified people’s names, wedding gifts, organizing a race or walk for the benefit of BGCA, and even becoming a corporate partner . The gift amounts range from $25, $50, $100, $250, $500 and other amounts and could be paid through VISA, Master Card, American Express, Discover Network .

Benefits of Getting Involved

There are immense benefits of getting involved with any of the programs of BGCA

through any of the means that were noted. For one, the volunteer or donor would contribute positively to the personal growth and development of participating youths. As emphasized, “Boys & Girls Clubs provide a safe, affordable place for kids and teens during critical out of-school time. They offer life-changing programs and services to youth all across America and on U.S. military installations worldwide” . With the 4 million youths being served annually, the sheer number attested BGCA’s commitment towards positive growth, especially in academic and character development.

Concurrently, by volunteering in any of the programs, for instance, the volunteer would realize a sense of fulfillment which would be beneficial to one’s personal and spiritual well-being. In addition, in sharing one’s time, skills, knowledge, and talents in various endeavors and programs for the youths, there are also opportunities to learn from them and thus, contribute to one’s personal and professional advancement. Youths could share new stories, insights, experiences which could provide learning and recognizing applications of real life concepts. Hearing experiences from their perspectives enable opening avenues for realizing things that were never thought of from commonly known points of views of volunteering adults.

Moreover, those who opted to become partners and contribute sums of money for various worthy causes and programs of BGCA would benefit in terms of financial returns. As attested by various organizations which have participated in charitable programs, consumers were observed to support and patronize product and services of socially responsible organizations. Therefore, greater patronage from customers would mean increase revenues and profits. In addition, the donations, per se, were emphasized to be tax deductible; thus, organizations and partners would incur lesser tax liabilities in the process. Finally, knowing that by being a partner means helping youths, who are recognized to be the bulwarks of future societies, there is a positive impact and image generated that also contributes to a sense of fulfillment. Read More