Great Futures Start Today
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Great Futures Start Today 2019 Annual Report THE MISSION OF BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON IS TO help young people,especially those who need us most, build strong character and realize their full potential as responsible citizens and leaders. We do this by providing a safe haven filled with hope and opportunity, ongoing relationships with caring adults, and life-enhancing programs. Front Cover: Edgerley Family South Boston Club member Both pages: Jordan Club, Charlestown Club, and Yawkey Club of Roxbury members TABLE OF CONTENTS Our Impact ......................................................................2 Letter From Our Leadership ............................................4 Our Stories ......................................................................6 In Memoriam .................................................................16 Donors ...........................................................................20 BGCB Leadership ..........................................................66 Independent Auditor’s Report ......................................70 Financials ....................................................................... 71 BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 1 Innovative programs help members build valuable skills that prepare them for life after the Club while having fun every step of the way. 99% OF BGCB SENIORS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 2019. 90% OF MEMBERS DEMONSTRATE HIGH RESILIENCE BY PERSISTING WITH AN ENDEAVOR, EVEN WHEN IT IS CHALLENGING. 2 Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston Evaluation & Outcomes Survey Data (shared throughout) 73% OF MEMBERS EXERCISE AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER WEEK. 90% OF MEMBERS SAY THERE IS AT LEAST ONE STAFF MEMBER THEY WOULD TURN TO IN A CRISIS. 72% OF TEENAGE MEMBERS HAVE HELD LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN THEIR CLUB, SCHOOL, OR COMMUNITY. BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 3 Dear Friends On behalf of the youth of Boston and Chelsea, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston has worked diligently to develop a breadth and depth of thoughtfully designed programs. Our mission-driven offerings help our members succeed academically, make healthy choices, practice good citizenship, and prepare for life after the Club. In this year’s report, we invite you to read and learn more about these programs and opportunities, along with the particular features that make our Clubs so special: our exceptional members and dedicated, knowledgeable staff. BGCB’s 11 Clubs and YouthConnect provide more than just a safe space to go after school with trustworthy adult mentors and educators. Staff members make the Clubs feel like home, establishing a family atmosphere and creating a sense of ownership for members, equipping them with the confidence and resources they need to explore their interests, whether it be music, athletics, reading, technology, or anything in between. All programs keep members engaged and coming back to the Club. With programs ranging from anime to robotics and surfing to photography, members have myriad opportunities to learn new skills and discover their potential. Our organization is fortunate to have the support of a remarkable group of donors who sustain our mission to serve our community’s young people. Day after day and year after year, we are working together to strengthen our city and beyond. Thanks to you, we provide these extensive programs and resources to our youth each year for only nominal fees and finances are never a barrier to members attending a Club. Each one of the generous contributions made by the individuals, corporations, foundations, and community partners listed in this report plays a vital role in making this possible. Simply put, none of this would be possible without you. Over the past year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston completed a comprehensive effort to plan for the future of our organization and the youth we serve. As we look ahead, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston will remain uniquely positioned to narrow the opportunity gap faced by many of our youth by providing our young people with the skills and experiences they need to seize opportunities and be successful as leaders and contributors in the 21st century. In the following pages, we highlight many of the important efforts underway as we further our strategic goals to build skills and provide enriching experiences for the youth we serve. Again, thank you. Your efforts help us build on more than 125 years of actively making a difference in the lives and futures of the children and teens we serve every day. With gratitude, Josh Kraft Bruce N. Jacobs Nicholas President and CEO+ Chair of the Board of Directors +The senior professional position at Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston was named in 2006 in recognition of Pete and Ginny Nicholas to honor their deep commitment to the organization and to further their dedication to ensuring excellence in organizational leadership. 4 Edgerley Family South Boston Club member BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 5 MATTAPAN TEEN CENTER x Attendance 2ATTENDANCE AT MATTAPAN TEEN Growth CENTER HAS DOUBLED SINCE In an effort to recruit, engage, and retain teen members, NOVEMBER 2018. Mattapan Teen Center (MTC) began using social media platform Instagram last fall, achieving tremendous success. After closing out an exciting 2018 summer season with record-breaking attendance numbers, staff wanted to build on the momentum and continue to serve as many teens as possible. “When members go back to school, their schedules DIGITAL LITERACY AT BGCB are less flexible and they can’t attend the Club as often,” MTC Teen Director and Berkshire Partners In collaboration with AT&T, Boys Blue Hill Club alumna Abriana Morales explained. & Girls Clubs of Boston launched “We wanted to find a way to make sure members didn’t a new innovative program this miss announcements, opportunities, and resources.” spring to equip middle and high school members with leadership Abriana thought an Instagram page would be the and online safety skills for the perfect way to reach and inform members, even digital age. when they can’t make it to the Club every day. She also hoped it would encourage members to return AT&T Positively Digital aims to empower youth to think to the Club. It turns out, she was right. Since piloting differently about technology, the program in November 2018, MTC’s attendance and use it as a tool for positive has doubled. change. MTC’s Instagram is one example of how members are The Instagram page has evolved into a making healthy choices online to virtual community filled with authentic, create positivity and build strong, nurturing communities, both member-generated content. online and off. BGCB is excited to see the creative things our Whether it be providing #MondayMotivation, displaying members accomplish as member achievements, or highlighting field trips, the they grow up to be confident, page allows teens and their families to stay connected active leaders and citizens in to the Club anytime, anywhere. Boston and beyond. You can follow along, too, @MattapanTeenCenter. 6 BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 7 8 BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON 2019 ANNUAL REPORT % Summer 81OF MEMBERS Internships IN GRADES INITIATIVE 10–12 HAVE A RESUME Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston’s Summer Internships initiative was created by former Board Chair Dana Smith. In this program, BGCB Board members and other volunteers work throughout the year with teen leaders at Clubs to prepare them for professional internships. Last summer, Berkshire Partners Blue Hill Club member Eva and Yawkey Club of Roxbury member Alton participated in a six-week paid internship at MFS Investment Management made possible by MFS Chief Investment Officer and BGCB Corporate Leadership Council member, Kevin Beatty. Eva and Alton both agree that the single biggest lesson from their experience was to embrace change. “Working with students like Eva and Alton as a WORK READINESS AT BOYS part of BGCB’s Summer Internships initiative & GIRLS CLUBS OF BOSTON makes MFS employees better people, better Initiatives like Summer Internships parents, and better citizens of the world.” are one part of a comprehensive – Kevin Beatty, Chief Investment Officer, effort at Boys & Girls Clubs of MFS Investment Management Boston to provide members with opportunities to cultivate work Eva and Alton rotated weekly through the full spectrum skills and prepare for successful of departments at MFS, from Human Resources and careers in life after the Club. Global Marketing to Portfolio Management and Trading. Last year, BGCB hired Walter Their internship culminated in a final presentation, which Weekes Jr., a former Teen Director they delivered to Kevin and other MFS employees. at Yawkey Club of Roxbury, as the Major highlights from the summer included participat- inaugural Dana W. Smith Director ing in meetings with high-profile corporations and of Workforce Development to field trips to the trading floors of two of the largest spearhead “Ready to Work,” a brokerage firms in the world. new career development program being launched across BGCB’s 11 Clubs and YouthConnect. 9 NEARLY % Flourishing Healthy Lifestyle 70OF MEMBERS EAT Education 2 OR MORE WITH HARVARD PILGRIM HEALTH CARE FRUITS PER DAY For more than 10 years, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation (HPHCF) has played an integral role in helping Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston members live healthy lifestyles. This life-changing partnership began when HPHCF challenged BGCB to take a more holistic approach to wellness programming and provided HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT funding