About the Charities- The Boys and Girls Club of America
Operation Level Playing Field is concentrating its fundraising efforts on three charities in particular as we initiate the project:
Boys and Girls Club of America
FUNDaFIELD
Baseball Tomorrow Fund
In this and the following two posts, we will be explaining the missions of each nonprofit and thus, why Operation Level Playing Field is supporting each organization. Today, we will start with perhaps the most widely recognized charity, the Boys and Girls Club of America.
The Boys and Girls Club of America
The Boys and Girls Club of America is a national nonprofit organization which provides after-school programs for young people across the United States. Founded in 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut, the organization has crown from 53 independent boys' clubs in the New England area to become the national organization it is today, with over 4,000 autonomous local clubs working to advance BGCA's vision for America. Today, clubs can be found in all fifty states, as well as locations such as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and US military bases around the world.
In addition to its widespread reach, the Boys and Girls Club of America also serves a diverse group of people. By the numbers, 5% of the club consists of kids 5 years old and younger; 46% of the club consists of kids between the ages of 6-10; 20% are 11-12 year olds; 19% are 13-15 year olds; and 10% are 16 and older. In the club, 55% of the children are male, while 45% are female. By ethnicity, 31% of the children are Caucasian, 29% African-American, 23% Hispanic or Latino, 5% multi-racial, 3% Asian, and 3% Native American.
According to its website (http://www.bgca.org/Pages/index.aspx), the mission of the Boys and Girls Club of America is "to enable young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as caring, responsible citizens." The Boys and Girls CLubs of America help America's youth by providing kids who need it most the opportunity to succeed through a safe and fun environment. The clubs provide leadership and career opportunities, and in addition fund many arts and sports programs for America's youths.
Thus, the Boys and Girls Club of America's vision for America strongly aligns with that of Operation Level Playing Field. Through the clubs' efforts, American youths--regardless of social or economic background--are being offered academic, extracurricular, and athletic opportunities that level out the playing field. Thus, Operation Level Playing Field will continue to support the Boys and Girls Club of America as it seeks to bring a level playing field to American youths.
