NEW YORK LIFE FOUNDATION GRANTS $600,000 TO
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA
Three-Year Grant Supports National Child Safety Pilot
Initiative
NEW YORK, N.Y., Nov. 6, 2008 – Boys &
Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) announced today that it has received a
three-year, $600,000 grant from the New York Life Foundation to support A
Safe Place to Learn and Grow, a new initiative that will utilize the most
current and relevant child safety ideas, facts, training tools and materials
to strengthen the capacity of local Clubs to better protect members (ages
6-18).
“We are grateful to the New York Life Foundation for its support of this new
multi-faceted safety initiative,” said Roxanne Spillett, president and chief
executive officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “The goal is to empower
the more than 4.8 million young people we serve by teaching them how to stay
safe when it comes to bullying, online safety and setting personal
boundaries.”
“We are pleased to partner with BGCA, which shares our commitment to
providing young people with a safe and nurturing environment where they are
given education and peer support that enable them to face the challenges
associated with today’s uncertain and ever-changing environment,” said Chris
Park, president, New York Life Foundation. “The Safe Place to Learn and Grow
initiative can give today’s youth the tools they need to handle issues that
pose risks to their safety.”
The initiative consists of three components: training of leadership and
ensuring safe practices at Clubs; developing activities to increase safety
awareness; and local implementation.
BGCA selected the following cities to serve as pilot sites for the
initiative: Austin, Texas; Sacramento, California; Phoenix, Arizona;
Washington, D.C.; and Kansas City, Missouri. Each site will host at least
two community events on safety awareness in partnership with the local New
York Life General Office. Findings from these sites will be shared at
regional conferences to drive the dissemination of materials to the more
than 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs worldwide.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has been changing
and saving young lives, providing hope and opportunity for kids who need
them most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve 4.8 million young people through
Club membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for
Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found all across the country and on U.S.
military bases throughout the world. Clubs provide young people 6-18 years
old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by
trained, professional staff. In communities large and small, Clubs help
young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key
Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development; education and
career exploration; community service; financial literacy; health and life
skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a
recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their
life. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.
About The New York Life Foundation
The New York Life Foundation is the major vehicle through which New York
Life Insurance Company channels contributions to national and local
nonprofit organizations. Through its Nurturing the Children initiative, the
Foundation supports organizations, programs and services that target young
people, particularly in the areas of childhood bereavement, mentoring, safe
places to learn and grow, and educational enhancement opportunities. Since
1979, the New York Life Foundation has donated more than $110 million to
national and local nonprofit organizations. Please visit the Foundation’s
Web site at
www.newyorklifefoundation.org.
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