After 18 months and with some Clubs providing more than 75 continuous weeks of full-day Club experiences, Boys & Girls Clubs across Washington are back to after-school programs. After a period like no other, Clubs are here to do whatever it takes to make this school year one of healing and growth.
Youth in Washington have faced immense challenges throughout the pandemic. Education has been drastically changed and families have been asked to provide even more. Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington provide teens and kids places to build community, to process the difficulties they see in their neighborhoods, and the mentorship and guidance of youth development professionals. We made it through together.
With the back-to-school season now here, Clubs are preparing for a school year where the need for a positive and enriching place for kids couldn’t be greater. We couldn’t do this without community partners and leaders who put the needs of youth first. Isaiah Thomas and Malachi Flynn, current NBA players, volunteered at the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound to give out hundreds of backpacks for club members at the Al Davies Clubhouse. Other Clubs hired on new staff and redecorated their facilities to create a welcome and engaging environment for this year’s kids.
