Letter from the President
Every weekday afternoon, at 11 sites throughout the region, more than 1000 boys and girls come to Boys & Girls Clubs located in the neighborhoods where they live. They come to a safe place to play and be with their friends. They come to a great place to learn and grow. They come to a stimulating place where BGCGC partners and volunteers help them build the great futures they deserve.
Our kids come from difficult circumstances. 4 of 5 live in severe poverty; 3 of every 5 of our kids live with a single parent or guardian. Our kids face obstacles that most of us can only imagine. Their shining faces appear each day in contrast to their not so shiny lives. Yet each day they come for hope and opportunity and to interact with the 125 employee partners of BGCGC who help them live better lives and create better futures.
· They come to our game rooms and gathering places to have fun, but also to learn how to present themselves in positive ways and to relate to others with care and respect…
· They come to our libraries and study rooms and receive the homework help and tutoring that enables them to progress in school and move toward high school graduation and beyond…
· They come to our gyms and swimming pools and build their bodies as well as their minds. They come to our lunchrooms to learn about nutrition, to share a healthy meal with their friends and to start on a path that will keep them fit for life…
· They come and observe great adult role models that help them understand what it means to be ever ready to serve their communities and their country…
In 2009 BGCGC touched the lives of nearly 12,000 youth throughout Greater Cincinnati, offering safe places to be after school and providing programs that enable kids to be the best they can be. We’re proud of our work on behalf of our kids, and we trust that you are, too. You make it possible. Your investments of time, talent and treasure make such a difference in the lives of the kids who need us all the most. Thank you for your keen interest and steadfast support. Thank you for helping us make Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati the place where great futures start.
Best Regards,
Craig A. Rice
CEO
Letter from the Chairman of the Board
| In 2008, we faced both good fortunes and harsh new challenges, from political and military conflicts to economic contraction. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati is in no way immune to the vulnerability that such challenges bring. The difficulties of our time may be complex and bewildering, but they offer us clear choices in how we respond to them. Either we can choose simply to react as these challenges force themselves upon us, or we can view them as opportunities for creativity and leadership. The easier course is the first—to allow external events to shape us. The better course, the one we must choose, calls for courage and creativity to triumph in the face of these challenges. |
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati chose to walk the course of renewed optimism in our ability to prevail and reach the lives of more youth than ever before. This was met with great success. In 2008, we served 12,000 children, ages 6-18, 100% MORE children served than just five years ago! And we served 140,000 hot and nutritious meals and snacks to Club members free of charge – 31,000 more than just last year. Moreover, we opened 2 new Teen Centers and one brand new Club site in the East Westwood area of Cincinnati.
Our most significant achievements are the young people whom we empower. The Boys & Girls Clubs are truly making a difference in the lives of thousands of youth each year; consider the results of a recent Harris Survey of Boys & Girls Club alumni:
• 91% of alumni are satisfied with their adult life
• 57% of alumni said the Club saved their life
• 51% achieved a higher level of education than they thought possible because of attending the Club
• 67% say the Club is where they learned how to “say no” to drugs and alcohol
• Another 67% of Club alumni attribute their ability to avoid difficulty with the law to the influence of Club staff
I would like to thank all the staff, volunteers, donors, and advocates who contributed their time, talent, and treasure to pursue our mission. It is with your assistance that youth in the Greater Cincinnati area are being shown a more positive path; a path with direction, purpose and hope.
With sincere appreciation,
Suzanne P. Land
Chairman of the Board
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