Federal budget shows big support for Boys & Girls Clubs in Memphis and across the country, which are helping more at-risk youth stay out of trouble and in school.
For more than 56 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis have worked to address inequities for young people, with a commitment to provide every child with the opportunity for a better future, no matter their background.
Our mission has been to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
We provide a world class club experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship and living a healthy lifestyle.
Today, 4,300 clubs serve 4 million kids and teens in our country, providing life-changing opportunities.
During the summer, Boys & Girls Clubs help close the summer learning gap that significantly impacts low-income youth.
Club members ages 12-17 from low-income families outperform their peers academically, with 74% reporting getting A’s and B’s in school, more than 10% higher than their peers nationally.
68% of club 12th-graders volunteer in their communities, compared to 39% of their peers nationally.
84% of club 12th-graders abstain from alcohol use, compared to 58% of their peers nationally.
Recently I joined other Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington to talk with our members of Congress about the issues that matter most to our kids.
•The National Youth Mentoring program received an unprecedented $14 million increase to $94 million. The additional funding is specifically geared towards at-risk youth impacted by the opioid crisis.
•21st Century Community Learning Center funding increased $20 million to $1.211 billion. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis currently does not receive 21st Century funding, but we hope to apply next year.
•The Department of Defense youth activity program doubled to $10 million. We worked with Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran to support our military partnership (Better Together) and reach the 250,000 military-connected youth who reside off-installation.
•Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grants increased to $1 billion.
We know investment in after-school opportunities impacts local communities, especially working families that rely on Boys & Girls Clubs for full-time employment. Every $1 invested in a Boys & Girls Clubs returns $9.60 in current and future earnings and cost-savings to communities.
Clubs in your district serve 4,500 children and teens, offer 21 different word-class programs, and employee over 150 people.
Our community depends on federal resources to bring vital, life-changing programming for our kids and teens.While we recognize the challenges our nation’s leaders face, a commitment to our kids and teens today can be the common ground to ensure our country’s future.
Prioritizing and investing in after-school time not only leads to better outcomes for our kids, but also to a healthier, safer and more prosperous nation.
Keith Blanchard is president and C.E.O. of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis.