New Teen Center Opens at Native Boys & Girls Club for Arizona Teens
The unveiling of the newly refreshed Aaron’s Teen Center at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gila River Indian Community, a Club serving Native American youth in Arizona, sparked joy among its teen members. As the doors swung open, faces lit up the room, with one teen another exclaiming, “This is the best place I’ve ever been to!”
Aaron’s, along with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, selected the Komatke Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gila River Indian Community for their 58th Teen Center Refresh. This project is a cornerstone of Aaron’s commitment to Boys & Girls Clubs of America: it’s largest giving partner and recipient of over $11 million in support since the start of the partnership in 2015.
Reinventing the Teen Space
When a Boys & Girls Club Teen Center is selected for an Aaron’s makeover, they receive a $20,000 grant which empowers teen members to take the reins in re-imagining their Teen space.
“The teens are our focus,” declared Mark Clavell, chief operations officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gila River Indian Community. “Their creativity and hard work have transformed this space.”
For this Teen Center refresh, members chose to enhance their environment with new couches, state-of-the-art televisions, high-performance computers, the latest video game consoles, a ping-pong table, a bumper pool table and classic arcade games. The Club’s transformation from a nearly bare room to a vibrant hub, complete with entertainment technology, is a testament to their vision and initiative.
Cultivating Safe Spaces for Learning and Leisure
Teens from the Gila River Indian Community Clubs took charge, sketching their own blueprints and styling their new haven as a space that would keep their peers coming back to the Club every day. The Club’s Teen Center is now an inviting place for young people in the community to go to finish up schoolwork, hang out with friends or join in one of many afterschool programs offered.
“The teen space means everything to them,” says Mark. “We don’t know what is going on at home or at school, but we do know this is a safe place to offer them. Bottom line is to produce productive citizens for our community and for the country.”
A Timely Reopening: Post-Pandemic Reconnection
Reopening its doors fully for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, the Club Teen Center now offers a warm, welcoming, and nurturing environment for the Native American youth they serve.
“We know everything they’ve been through over these last few years dealing with the pandemic and having schools shut down,” Jeremy Kudlo, vice president of operations for Aaron’s, reflects. “Teens have been affected more than any other generation. It’s profoundly rewarding to provide them with a secure and engaging space to gather and grow in.”
The Aaron’s Company is proud to be a longtime partner to Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Specializing in the sale and lease of home furnishings, appliances, electronics and accessories, the Atlanta-based organization has invested nearly $11 million in helping kids and teens build bright, healthy futures through membership at more than 5,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the nation.
Navigating Mental Health Challenges with Youth
Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides youth mentorship, mental health services and meaningful life experiences that boost youth self-esteem, build confidence and contribute to healthy mental, emotional and physical well-being. Find a Club near you or sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest resources and stories.
