Boys And Girls Clubs Of Greater Anaheim-Cypress

PROMOTES THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING OF YOUTH AGES 5 TO 17 BY PROVIDING EDUCATION, RECREATION, AND GUIDANCE.

IN JULY 2019, THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF ANAHEIM MERGED WITH THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CYPRESS AND BECAME THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ANAHEIM-CYPRESS. TOGETHER WE ARE CREATING A BOLD VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE COMBINED OUR STRENGTHS TO PROVIDE A WORLD-CLASS CLUB EXPERIENCE ACROSS A BROADER SERVICE AREA. OUR ORGANIZATION IS POSITIONED FOR STRATEGIC GROWTH TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITIES WITHOUT ACCESS TO CLUB SERVICES. WE PRESENTLY OPERATE 9 CLUBHOUSES ACROSS ANAHEIM AND CYPRESS WITH PLANS TO OPEN ADDITIONAL SITES BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. OUR CLUBHOUSES ARE IN CITY PARKS, YOUTH CENTERS, AND SCHOOL CAMPUSES. SINCE THE START OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WEVE DELIVERED THOUSANDS OF HEALTHY MEALS TO CHILDREN, TEENS AND FAMILIES, PROVIDED A SAFE PHYSICAL LOCATION FOR YOUTH TO ATTEND VIRTUAL SCHOOL, AND OFFERED ONLINE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS QUARANTINED AT HOME.OUR CLUB ENSURES THAT VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND TEENS HAVE A SAFE, NURTURING PLACE TO LEARN AND GROW. WE ENSURE THAT THEIR PARENTS ARE ABLE TO GO TO WORK CONFIDENT THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE BEING WELL-CARED FOR IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT NURTURES THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. WE HAVE A FULL INCLUSION PROGRAM FOR YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. WE ALSO HAVE A STRONG CONNECTION TO THE MILITARY AND SERVE MILITARY AFFILIATED YOUTH EACH YEAR. THE CLUB OPENED A FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER IN 2020 TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES SUCH AS CLOTHING, SHELTER, COUNSELING AND MEDICAL CARE SO CHILDREN ARE HEALTHY AND READY TO LEARN. THIS ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT AND WRAP AROUND SERVICES FOR CLUB FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS OF ONE OF HIGHEST NEED NEIGHBORHOODS IN ANAHEIM. IN ADDITION TO OUR FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER WE PROVIDE GROCERIES FOR MORE THAN 800 FAMILIES EACH WEEK.THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXACERBATED EXISTING GAPS IN OPPORTUNITY, WITH POTENTIALLY LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON CHILDREN AND TEENS. THE PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS OF COVID-19 DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT YOUNG PEOPLE AND WE KNOW UNADDRESSED ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES IMPACT YOUTH WELLNESS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CARRY SERIOUS LONG-TERM RISKS. HOWEVER, RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN WHO ENGAGE IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMS LIKE OUR BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS HAVE IMPROVED SOCIAL SKILLS AND GREATER INCLINATION TO LEARN COMPARED TO PEERS WHO DO NOT ATTEND THESE PROGRAMS. THIS IS IN PART BECAUSE TRAINED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT STAFF HAVE LONG-TERM, TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FAMILIES WE SERVE AND ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE, TARGETED INTERVENTIONS TO OFFSET THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL EFFECTS OF TRAUMA, INCLUDING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE BEING CONFRONTED WITH NUMEROUS LIFE-ALTERING CHALLENGES: SOCIAL AND RACE-BASED INJUSTICE, CLIMATE CHANGE, ECONOMIC UPHEAVAL AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 AND THE WIDENING FAULT LINES CAUSED BY POLITICAL DIVISION. AS SUPPORTIVE FACILITATORS, ADVOCATES AND ALLIES IN THEIR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, OUR STAFF PARTNER WITH YOUNG PEOPLE TO CREATE A SAFE, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. WITHIN THIS NURTURING ENVIRONMENT, YOUTH CAN DEVELOP INTO FUTURE WORLD LEADERS BY FOLLOWING A CHARACTER-BUILDING TRAJECTORY THAT INCLUDES BUILDING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS, PARTICIPATING IN SERVICE-LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS TO PRESSING ISSUES. THE MINIMAL FEES WE CHARGE DO NOT COVER THE COST OF PROVIDING SERVICES. WITH HELP FROM SUPPORTERS, THE CLUB PROVIDES A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM SO THAT FAMILIES CAN ACCESS THE SERVICES THEY NEED. THE CLUBS SLIDING SCALE SCHOLARSHIPS MAKES SURE FAMILIES PAY ONLY WHAT THEY CAN AFFORD. NO CHILD IS EVER TURNED AWAY FOR INABILITY TO PAY. WE INCOME-QUALIFY SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS USING THE SAME CRITERIA AS THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAMS. FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN CALIFORNIA BOYS & GIRLS CLUB PROGRAMS, $9.33 IS RETURNED IN CURRENT AND FUTURE EARNING AND COST SAVINGS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. CLUB MEMBERS ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL AND LESS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE TEEN PREGNANCY OR COMMIT CRIMES THAN THEIR PEERS. IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT SURROUND A CHILD DO NOT DETERMINE THEIR ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES. THAT IS THE WORLD WE ARE BUILDING FOR OUR CLUB MEMBERS AND COMMUNITIES.