BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA

WITH A BELIEF THAT ALL CHILDREN DESERVE OPPORTUNITIES TO SUCCEED IN THEIR EDUCATION AND BEYOND, BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA OFFERS 40 TO 60 PROGRAMS TO CHILDREN AGES 5 TO 18 THAT PROMOTE ACADEMIC SUCCESS, HEALTH & WELL-BEING, CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP, AND LIFE & WORKFORCE READINESS. HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS, COMBINED WITH AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, ARE THE CLUB'S MOST EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES IN REACHING POPULATIONS EXPERIENCING DISADVANTAGES. THE CLUB IS OPEN DURING CRITICAL OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME, INCLUDING EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL, ALL DAY DURING THE SUMMER, MOST SCHOOL BREAKS, AND SELECTED EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS. TO PROMOTE ACCESS FOR KIDS WHO NEED US MOST, CLUB MEMBERSHIP FEES TO FAMILIES ARE ONLY $15 TO $150 ANNUALLY AND REPRESENT LESS THAN 2% OF THE ORGANIZATION'S REVENUE. IN FY25, AT LEAST 89% OF THE CLUB'S REGISTERED MEMBERS QUALIFIED FOR FREE OR REDUCED PRICE LUNCH AND 41% OF MEMBERS LIVED IN SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS. THE CLUB IMPLEMENTED NEW STRATEGIES IN FY25 TO SERVE MORE YOUTH BY MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE. IN RESPONSE TO TEENS SAYING THEY NEED MORE ACCESS TO SAFE OUT-OF-SCHOOL OPTIONS DURING NON-TRADITIONAL CLUB HOURS, THE CLUB PROVIDED OVER 25 TEEN SATURDAYS. MORE THAN 500 TEENS ATTENDED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, PARTICIPATING IN ACTIVITIES LIKE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS, COLLEGE VISITS, DANCE PARTIES, AND COOKING PROGRAMS.ALSO IN RESPONSE TO TEEN VOICE, THE CLUB IDENTIFIED A NEW PRIORITY PROGRAM AREA, LIFE & WORKFORCE READINESS. TEENS HAVE INDICATED THEIR NEED FOR MORE WORK-BASED LEARNING THAT CONNECTS THEM WITH JOBS AND PREPARES THEM FOR THE FUTURE. THE CLUB RESPONDED TO THEIR INPUT BY GROWING CAREER CHATS, A PROGRAM THAT INTRODUCES TEENS TO A VARIETY OF CAREER PATHS, CONNECTS THEM WITH LOCAL PROFESSIONALS, AND PROVIDES HANDS-ON JOB EXPERIENCE. FUTURE LIFE & WORKFORCE READINESS PLANS INCLUDE EXPANSION OF THE CLUB'S YOUTH WORK PROGRAM AND ELEVATING YOUTH OF THE YEAR, A NATIONAL BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA PROGRAM THROUGH WHICH TEENS DEVELOP LEADERSHIP, PUBLIC SPEAKING, PRESENTATION, AND INTERVIEWING SKILLS. IN FY25, THE CLUB'S YOUTH OF THE YEAR WAS A FINALIST AT THE STATE-LEVEL COMPETITION.EACH OF THE CLUB'S YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS LED BY A SPECIALIST STAFF IN STEM, ART, AND SQUASH HAD STAND-ALONE EVENTS HIGHLIGHTING THEIR IMPACT. AT STEM OLYMPICS, MEMBERS OF ALL SIX CLUBS COMPETED IN FUN AND ENGAGING CHALLENGES. THE CLUB'S COMMUNITY ART SHOW DISPLAYED GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS SUCH AS ACRYLICS, SELF-PORTRAITS, WATERCOLORS, AND COLLAGES. IN ITS SECOND FULL YEAR, THE CLUB'S SQUASH PROGRAM INCLUDED INDIVIDUALIZED PRACTICE PLANS FOR MEMBERS OF ALL SKILL LEVELS, CULMINATING IN THE CLUB'S SECOND ANNUAL SQUASH TOURNAMENT WHERE CLUB MEMBERS COMPETED ALONGSIDE SQUASH PLAYERS FROM THE COMMUNITY. THE CLUB CONTINUED ITS COMMITMENT TO HUMAN CENTEREDNESS IN FY25. ONE OF THE WAYS THE CLUB PROMOTES HUMAN CENTEREDNESS IS THROUGH FAIR AND COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION, AS STAFF RETENTION IS THE TOP INDICATOR OF PROGRAM QUALITY. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE BETTER LONG-TERM OUTCOMES WHEN THEY DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS OF TRUST WITH CARING ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES. THE CLUB IS PROUD THAT, SINCE INVESTING IN FAIR AND COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION, VOLUNTARY FULL-TIME STAFF TURNOVER HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. FROM A HIGH OF 29% IN FY23, THE STAFF TURNOVER RATE DECREASED TO 9% IN FY24 AND TO 6% THIS FISCAL YEAR. IN FY25, THE CLUB LAUNCHED ITS FUTURE READY CAMPAIGN WITH A GOAL TO RAISE $7 MILLION TO SUPPORT LONG-TERM ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS. THE ORGANIZATION HAS A TRACK RECORD OF RESPONSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH, WHICH HAS ALLOWED THE CLUB TO ADDRESS THE GREATEST NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 33 YEARS BY INVESTING IN FACILITIES AND PEOPLE AND OPENING NEW CLUBS. THE FUTURE READY CAMPAIGN WILL HELP THE CLUB CONTINUE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND BEYOND. THE CLUB SECURED AROUND $3.6 MILLION IN NEW DONATIONS AND COMMITMENTS TOWARD FUTURE READY IN FY25.THE ORGANIZATION ALSO BEGAN RENOVATING THE SOUTHWOOD CLUB. OPENED IN 2000, THE SOUTHWOOD CLUB INCLUDES ONE PERMANENT BUILDING, A DOUBLE-WIDE TRAILER, AND A TRIPLE-WIDE TRAILER. INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR RENOVATIONS ARE FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING DESIGNING AND GRADING NEW CONCRETE DRAINAGE, REPLACING EXTERIOR STAIRS, REPAINTING THE EXTERIOR, AND INSTALLING NEW FENCING, FLOORING, DRAINAGE, AND TOILETS, ALONG WITH OTHER UPDATES TO ENHANCE THE CLUB EXPERIENCE FOR MEMBERS.