by Zane Smith Gorman School, site of the newest after school program.
“Help, I’m at a new school district as the superintendent, and I want a Boys & Girls Club for my kids!” That’s what the voice on the other end of the line said to our Director of Operations, Chris Molina. This is not the first time that a friend of the Club has reached out from a new position or new school district to ask if we could set up a program on their school campus. With 66 school-based Club locations, we are well versed in sharing space and aligning our programs to meet the needs of students with thirteen different school district partners.
While some may say it is not always the best business model, the fact is that we tend to lead with our hearts in assembling our Club’s “building blocks” and will do whatever it takes when an opportunity of providing programs for underserved children comes our way. In this particular case, it was almost an ideal situation. First, we had an outstanding leader in the superintendent, whom we had worked with at another district years ago. Next, we had accessible, child-friendly facilities at the school with built-in transportation, which sometimes can be a barrier. We also had sustainable funding through a grant from the Sate of California to pay new team members who reside in the surrounding mountain community. In addition, we had a program director with a successful track record at a Club just five miles away, who was ready and willing to mentor a new program director and staff at the new Club. Our final block to put in place didn’t quite fit our standard structure. We are the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County, and this particular school lands just on the other side of the county line in Los Angeles County. Yet, it is closer to one of our existing clubs than any of the L.A. County Clubs. After calling two other Club Executive Directors who have programs in the L.A. region, we received the green light to serve the children at Gorman School by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. One of the other directors became a bit emotional at the news. He shared that he was raised by a single mom and had grown up in that area. He had attended that school when he was young and was so grateful to see a Club being established at his alma mater. With his heartfelt blessing, the deal was sealed!
Pickles, Gorman School pet, paid a visit to the after school program.
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BGCBRIEF| www.bgclubsofkerncounty.org
So, 40 excited children are now attending an afterschool education and enrichment program provided by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County directly on their school campus in Gorman, California. How does our organization benefit, you might ask? Our hearts are full with the ability to bring a life-changing program to kids in underserved areas and contribute to the economy by hiring and training local residents. Being on the ground floor and seeing children thrive in our care is the gift that keeps on giving.