Thunderbirds Charities awards $50,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale to support local youth
Grant will fund programming for youth and training for staff
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS) was awarded $50,000 from Thunderbirds Charities—the charitable giving arm of the Thunderbirds, host of the Waste Management Phoenix Open—to support community youth academically and emotionally.
The grant will help the youth development organization combat the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth in the communities BGCS serves in the northeast Valley.
“The challenges our youth are facing today loom heavy and test their resiliency,” said Ivan Gilreath, BGCS President and CEO. “Our Clubs are well-equipped to provide the support and assistance youth need to bounce back. Thunderbirds Charities’ funding is so important in our ability to do what we do best under these new circumstances, help kids succeed.”
The Club uses fun, project-based learning that engages its members in discovery, creative expression and group work in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Thunderbirds Charities funding will also support emotional wellness programs that help kids become resilient with positive coping strategies, and provide emotional wellness training for Club staff.
“Every kid can benefit from the safe environment, our caring youth development professionals, and our award-winning programming. Parents also find comfort in knowing they have a partner in helping their child find success. After this past year, kids need us more than ever.” said Gilreath.
BGCS’s Clubhouses in Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, North Phoenix, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Haulapai Nation in Peach Springs are open to all youth ages five to 18. No child is turned away for inability to pay and BGCS provides more than $1.2 million in program assistance annually.
Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale at www.bgcs.org.
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ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER SCOTTSDALE
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS) serves thousands of youth at eight Clubs located within the communities of Scottsdale, North Phoenix, Fountain Hills, Mesa, the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and the Hualapai Nation, and an outreach site in Anthem. Research shows that when compared to their peers, Club members have a higher interest in pursuing STEM careers, volunteer more in their local communities and are more physically active. No matter the circumstances that bring a child to us, our youth development professionals help them set and achieve personal, academic and creative goals. We work to prove that every kid has what it takes. Great futures start here.
ABOUT THUNDERBIRDS CHARITIES
Thunderbirds Charities was established in 1986 as the charitable arm of the Phoenix Thunderbirds. Its purpose is to grant funds generated by the Waste Management Phoenix Open. This mission of Thunderbirds Charities is to support organizations that assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Each year, Thunderbirds Charities solicits grant proposals that support at-risk youth and families, community outreach/quality of life, education, improving the lives of the physically and mentally challenged or works to eliminate domestic violence, homelessness and poverty.
