Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
In FY2018, BGCTC’s team of 84 staff members and 1,200 volunteers delivered programs to more than 8,398 unduplicated Twin Cities youth. This includes youth who participated in Club events, activities, or Voyageur programming during the year. Academic Success: fall to spring results for our K-3 Literacy program show 91% of participants made gains in cumulative test scores. 176 Club seniors graduated from high school, up 65% over the previous year. Good Character & Leadership: Over the past year, a group of former and current teen members began self-directing a new mentorship program, The Bridge, to seek community mentors for graduating BGCTC teens, and to provide a structure for graduates to give back by mentoring younger teens at BGCTC. The Bridge is a channel that fosters positive mentoring relationships, contributing to future success. Last year, 61% of teens volunteered in their community at least once a month. Healthy Lifestyles: 157,722 nutritious meals were served to Club members; 700 Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)-approved meals and snacks were served each day. Additionally, 944 youth participated in fitness and social recreation programs; 1,069 youth participated in sports leagues; and 60% of Club members ages 9 and older reported getting at least one hour of physical activity five or more days per week. 86 youth attended hands-on kitchen safety and cooking/nutrition classes to learn how to prepare healthy meals for themselves and their families.
Current Goals
BGCTC’s overarching goal is to prepare at-risk youth to graduate from high school on time with a plan for the future. FY2019 programmatic goals for the youth we serve include Academic Success – Provide 6,500 youth with academic enrichment, homework help, and career exploration activities to increase school engagement and performance and post-secondary success, including: Serve 400 youth in the K-6 Literacy Program (a comprehensive, holistic approach that embeds positive youth development and social and emotional learning (SEL) methods with literacy instruction. Serve 250 youth in the Grades 4-6 Numeracy Program with hands-on, multisensory math stations centered on the Minnesota Academic Standards in Mathematics to help youth build math proficiency. Serve 400 teens in Teen Pathways to prepare at-risk teens for a successful future, whether that is college or a career. Provide 700 youth with STEM programming that includes robotics, IT certifications, numeracy, financial literacy, and curriculum units to increase technology knowledge and computer literacy skills. Provide 800 youth with performing or studio arts programming to increase an appreciation for the arts. Provide 200 youth with Money Matters programming to Increase financial literacy skills. Provide 250 teens with Career Launch/Job Ready! programs to build work skills and prepare them for a future career; 50 teens will obtain work experiences. Good Character & Leadership – Provide 300 youth with programming, including Torch Club and Keystone Club, to improve social skills and civic engagement. Provide 200 youth with opportunities to volunteer in the community. Healthy Lifestyles – Enhance nutrition through meal delivery and improve understanding of healthy lifestyles. Provide 700 nutritious (Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)-approved) meals and snacks each day; provide 75 youth with hands-on kitchen safety and cooking/nutrition classes. 720 youth will participate on athletic teams.
Community or Constituency Served
The Clubs offer Twin Cities youth ages 5-18 a firm foundation of trust, hope, and responsibility, and provide a fun, safe and constructive environment for kids and teens during out-of-school-time hours. To reach as many at-risk youth as possible, the Clubs’ eight sites are located in targeted Twin Cities neighborhoods that have high populations of intergenerational poverty, and are challenged both economically and socially, with concentrated pockets of intense need. By locating Clubs within these communities, we provide vital access to meaningful programs and caring adult mentors within a safe, welcoming environment for some of the most at-risk youth in the metro area. Club membership is a reflection of the make-up of each neighborhood served. 2018 demographics are as follows: Ethnicity: Black – 46.0%; Asian – 11.5%; Caucasian – 5.2%; Hispanic/Latino – 7.9%; Multi-Racial – 6.8%; Native American – 3.4%; Other – 18.3%. Age: 5 through 9 – 27%; 10 through 14 – 46%; 15 through 19 – 27%. Gender: Female – 46.75%; Male – 53.25%
The University of Minnesota’s 2015 study of BGCTC members confirms why Boys & Girls Clubs are so needed in the communities we serve: 86% of our members receive free or reduced-price lunch; 46% of families receive food stamps; 29% of our members switch school districts at least once per year; and 10% of our members are homeless. Many members consider their Club a second home. Without a Boys & Girls Club, many of these kids would be left unsupervised after school, often in neighborhoods with high levels of poverty and crime.
Geographic Area Served
Club sites serve the Near North, Hawthorne, Harrison, Jordan, Powderhorn, Central, Folwell, and Phillips communities of Minneapolis, and the Summit-University, Thomas-Dale, North End, Payne-Phalen, Dayton’s Bluff, and West Side communities of Saint Paul. BGCTC’s environmental learning center, Voyageur Environmental Center, is located in Mound, Minnesota.
