Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties: Empowering our youth to great futures
Two decades ago, our community was facing unexpected challenges among our young people. A surge in gang activity coincided with widespread awareness of increasingly risky behaviors by teens. This convergence inspired a series of programs to reverse the trend.
Establishing the Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties was part of that solution, and we’re proud to remain a partner with parents, schools, law enforcement, businesses and civic groups. We have offered youth programming throughout the Mid-Columbia region since 1996, providing a safe place for kids and teens to go after school; empowering working parents by providing a productive space for their youth; and helping our community turn the tide on trouble into a generation of responsible adults.
More than 2,400 kids attend the club in 2016. More important than how many kids we see is how often we see them. Our goal is to be a constant in the lives of our children and teens, walking beside them on their way toward a great future.
Our Boys & Girls Clubs offer youth programming to hundreds of kids, with an annual membership fee of only $20 per child. We have four traditional clubhouses: two in Pasco, one in Kennewick and one in Prosser. These clubs are strategically located in areas where after-school programs are needed the most.
Additionally, we have six school-based clubs throughout west Pasco. These clubs offer before- and after-school youth programs at a weekly rate and are licensed by the state. Though the cost is different from that of our traditional clubs, the commitment of empowering youth is the same.
Our Boys & Girls Clubs also provide care for infants, toddlers and preschoolers with nurseries at Tri-Tech Skills Center and New Horizons High School. We provide childcare for the children of parenting teens so that they can remain in school. We also offer a preschool at our Main Branch Club in Pasco.
All our Boys & Girls Clubs are committed to empowering all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The club focuses programming on three priority outcomes:
ACADEMIC SUCCESS: We want to be sure that our members are on track to graduate and achieve their great future. We offer homework clubs, tutoring and personalized success plans for teens.
HEALTHY LIFESTYLES: We encourage our youth to take care of themselves. Our kids learn to eat healthy and stay active through fun activities.
GOOD CHARACTER & CITIZENSHIP: Our kids learn that they can make a difference in their community. Our club members are active volunteers and often become leaders in their schools and peer groups.
Because we believe in our youth, they are empowered to believe in themselves. We know that our members are more than just great kids. When we look at them, we see our future leaders. Our mission is to empower the kids that need us most. This may be a child living in extreme poverty who comes to the club because we serve dinner every night and she would not eat otherwise. Alternatively, it might be the teen who does not lack resources, but feels lost because he doesn’t not see himself fitting in anywhere. Regardless of age or economic situation, we are proud to offer a safe place to learn and grow.
Our community’s ongoing investment in our young people relies on you. Every time you give your time, talent or treasure to our Boys & Girls Clubs — whether you spend an hour a month as a mentor or write a check at a fundraising event — you give one more child the chance to succeed. You become a child’s hero. Your investment in clubs saves lives every day by providing youth a safe and affordable place to go after school, and an opportunity for our kids and teens to achieve their great future.
This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties: Empowering our youth to great futures."