Boys and Girls Clubs are important resources that provide countless positive outlets for children in communities across the country. The BGC provide high quality youth development programming for children from ages 6 to 18.
Today, there are eight Boys and Girls Clubs across southeastern Michigan, Unfortunately, the Boys and Girls Club in our own community club have been shuttered indefinitely.
At this time, according to the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan ("BGCSM") website, the closest facility available to our children is in Highland Park. That's not close. Not for children that stay far enough from the facility that they can only reach it by bus or a car ride. When transportation is a barrier for our children to have a quality outlet for regular after-school and weekend programming, it is an untenable situation.
Today, the Boys and Girls Club facility on Schoenherr needs extensive renovation before it can be reopened.
This is where we come in. Every problem no matter how large or seemingly intractable has a solution. Our challenge is to find the solution and solve for a better quality of life for our children and our community.
Our children need and deserve a fun and safe environment in their community as a positive outlet for after-school and weekend programming that provides high quality extracurricular activities and cultural enrichment so they can thrive and be their best selves as they develop the tools they need to succeed. Every day the doors of the Boys and Girls Club on Schoenherr are closed, the children in our community lose. And the loss is exacerbated daily and the entire community suffers directly and indirectly.
According to the Boys and Girls Club of America's National Outcomes Report dated 2017, boys and girls that participate at least once a week in a Boys and Girls Club, 41% are less likely to get into a physical fight, 38% are more likely to be on track to graduate high school on time. Additionally, children that participate in the Boys and Girls Club are less likely than their peers to engage in high-risk behaviors.
Further, the economic impact on the community is substantial as well. According to the study, every dollar invested in Boys & Girls Clubs returns $9.60 in current and future earnings and cost-savings to their communities.