Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to "inspire and empower young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring adults." The Boys Club of Hollywood was founded in June 1937 by Mrs. Earl Gilmore of the Assistance League of Southern California. She organized the Boys Club of Hollywood in two rooms above a garage on DeLongpre Avenue in Hollywood. Originally expected to attract 10–15 boys, Mrs. Gilmore was happily surprised by the arrival of 60 boys during the first month. In 1942, thanks to the efforts of local businesses and trades people, a new Club facility was constructed on the Assistance League property. In 1957, entertainer Bob Hope spearheaded a fundraising drive to finance the construction of a gymnasium and outdoor swimming pool; in 1976, to better serve our children, board members purchased a large play field adjacent to the Club facility. In 1986, our name was officially changed to the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood (BGCH), and girls were welcomed. In 1994, the property was sold, and the Club was relocated to a small space at the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood. In the spring of 1998, the Club moved into our present location at 850 North Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood, and we named our new facility the Margie & Robert E. Petersen Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood. In 2004, we began planning for our $3 million renovation project. Ten years later, the project expanded to $5.9 million and was completed. Today, our kids enjoy a state-of-the-art facility including a full-size gymnasium, a teen center, an art studio, technology and learning centers, music rooms, and a safe and secure entrance. BGCH offers traditional Boys & Girls Club programs year-round at our Hollywood facility. Program services include literacy instruction, tutoring, homework assistance, computer skills training, sports and recreation, mentoring, science classes, robotics, health and life skills development, music lessons, and arts and cultural activities. Most importantly, BGCH provides a safe and supportive environment for underserved youth with limited opportunities for positive development. BGCH students attend 50 different schools in the region, and most live below the federal poverty level. Our continued efforts to assist in the healthy development of youth has allowed us to achieve the coveted 4-star rating with Charity Navigator every year since 2014 and the Platinum Seal of Transparency with Guidestar, their highest level of recognition for organizational efficiency and transparency.
About This Cause
Over the past 86 years, BGCH has forged enduring bonds with our dedicated staff, many of whom have served for over two decades. We actively create and nurture opportunities for growth and success not only for our students but also for their families, fostering generational connections. Former Club attendees, now parents, entrust us with their children, and eight of our 21 staff members are Club alumni. Erwin, our Technology Coordinator, exemplifies the impact of BGCH. A club member from ages 7 to 18, he considers the Club his second home, a safe haven where he formed lasting friendships and received guidance from supportive staff mentors. Now, his daughter attends the Club, a testament to his trust in our staff's commitment and care. At BGCH, students find safety and supervision, away from the threats of gangs, crime, drugs, and other risky behaviors. Our programs continually adapt to address the most pressing issues in our community, such as our reading program combating the literacy crisis impacting students of color. Presently, BGCH offers its after-school program for free and embraces technological advances to ensure our students are well-prepared for the demands of the future workforce. We anticipate that 90% of our students will achieve one or more of the following: • Reduce learning loss and improve academic competencies in reading and math • Maintain or increase computer literacy and technological skills • Enhance self-expression and creativity through the arts • Alleviate anxiety related to the impact of COVID-19 • Improve social and emotional well-being Collaborating closely with Vine Street Elementary School and various private and charter schools, we build strong relationships with teachers and administrators for the benefit of our students. Program support comes from UCLA, the California Sunrise Foundation, GROOV3, and many others through volunteerism and special events. Located in the heart of Hollywood, surrounded by concrete and movie studios, our Club currently serves approximately 350 youth from low socio-economic backgrounds, students of color, English learners, and those meeting income requirements for a free or reduced-price meal. In Service Planning Area 4 (SPA), where parks are scarce and fast food restaurants and liquor stores are abundant, our densely populated, low-income community grapples with high gang and crime rates, visible homelessness, diverse languages spoken at home, and a significant number without high school diplomas. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Our primary objective is to empower students, facilitating their journey toward self-sufficiency as adults by providing essential tools, skills, and support. Addressing the root causes of their challenges, our aim is to break the cycle of dependency and instill a sense of empowerment, resilience, and independence in the youth of our community. Students dedicate 20-25 hours a week after school and up to 50 hours a week during summer and school breaks at our Club. Beyond providing nutritional snacks, meals, and transportation, our program activities include: 1. Academic Achievement: • Homework assistance, tutoring, and access to computers with high-speed Internet are readily available. 2. Reading Comprehension: • Recognizing the significant literacy gap in children of color, we focus on improving their reading skills. Daily literacy assignments target areas such as reading, spelling, writing, and comprehension to assist reaching their grade level. 3. Art & Music: • Fine art classes encompass artist renditions, digital arts, photography, and painting, fostering spatial skills development. Our partnership with the UCLA Music Department offers instruction in piano, harp, flute, guitar, choir, and music appreciation, with recitals held throughout the year. 4. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): • Our SEL programming includes activities in the games room, gratitude journaling, and the MyFuture.com web platform, addressing personal development, STEM subjects, and understanding and preventing bullying so prevalent in our schools. 5. Workforce Development: • The Tech Center provides daily classes in computer literacy, robotics, and coding on 20 computer stations and 40 tablets. We now offer esports programming, a burgeoning career involving video gaming events. 6. Girls Empowerment: • Tailored for girls' development, our classes include Girls in Coding (teaching coding, web design, and programming), Girls in Film (covering the moviemaking process), Girls' Empowerment Workshops and Panels with successful women across various professions, including professional athletes. 7. Sports and Fitness: • Daily physical fitness activities, skills and drills, and team sports are conducted in our gymnasium, encompassing basketball, indoor soccer, flag football, and volleyball. 8. College Preparation: • Goal-setting for graduation, college and career workshops, and panel discussions with established professionals are integral. Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 are available for students accepted into colleges/universities. Evaluation Our team of youth development professionals employs a diverse range of strategies to gauge the effectiveness of our programs and assess each student's needs and progress. These methodologies encompass annual program records, daily attendance records, report card grades, pre- and post-test results for specific programs, the National Youth Outcomes Initiatives assessment in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and monthly program reports meticulously prepared by our dedicated staff. Additionally, regular communication with teachers ensures our students remain on track for academic success, with teachers providing valuable insights into students who may be facing difficulties, allowing us to tailor our services accordingly. Parents are integral participants in evaluation discussions concerning any challenges their children may encounter. Our program staff members exhibit exceptional dedication, consistently striving to provide our youth with the best opportunities for healthy development and positive academic outcomes. Their commitment often extends beyond standard expectations, with 90% of our staff members being multilingual and multicultural. This linguistic diversity enables effective communication with students' parents, facilitating collaborative efforts to help students achieve their goals. BGCH has a proven history of adapting our programming to address pressing issues. Initiatives such as the Achieving Career and Educational Success (ACES) program tackle the high school dropout epidemic, the Girls Hour addresses gender bias in sports, and the READS program specifically aids children, particularly students of color, reading and performing math below their grade level. Our steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is evident in our intentional efforts to ensure that our board and staff mirror the demographics of our students. The BGCH board, intentionally diverse ethnicities and genders, comprises of 15 professional individuals. Our staff, also representing a rich tapestry of backgrounds, consists of 18 F/T and P/T members, including two African Americans (our CEO), one Armenian, one Caucasian, and 15 Latinx individuals. Remarkably, 85% of our staff are multilingual, underscoring our commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.