Boys & Girls Club of Fort Wayne Inc

THE MISSION OF THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF FORT WAYNE IS "TO INSPIRE ALL YOUNG PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST, TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS PRODUCTIVE, CARING, AND RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS." WE ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION THROUGH OUR VISION: TO BE THE LEADER IN ADDRESSING THE GROWING NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL PROGRAMMING, STAFF, FACILITIES, AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS. OUR FORMULA FOR IMPACT PRIORITIZES ACADEMIC SUCCESS, GOOD CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP, AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. PRE-COVID 19, THE CAPACITY OF OUR FIVE CLUB SITES WAS MORE THAN 500 YOUTH EACH DAY. TODAY, EVEN WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, OUR CAPACITY IS OVER 225 AND OUR WAITING LIST IS LONG. WE CONTINUE TO FIND SAFE WAYS TO OUR CLUBS BACK TO FULL CAPACITY BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW GREAT THE NEED IS FOR OUR YOUTH. OF THESE YOUTH, 60% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN, 18% ARE MULTI- RACIAL, 11% ARE HISPANIC, AND 10% ARE CAUCASIAN. THE RATIO OF BOYS TO GIRLS IS ABOUT 51% FEMALE AND 49% MALE. THE CHILDREN WE SERVE ARE FACED WITH DAUNTING CHALLENGES. MORE THAN 70% ARE FROM SINGLE PARENT OR FOSTER CARE HOUSEHOLDS WITH 70% QUALIFYING FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCHES AT THEIR SCHOOLS. THEY ALL COME FROM LOW INCOME, RACIALLY DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND VIOLENT CRIME ARE THE HIGHEST IN THE CITY. WHEN QUARANTINED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020, OUR COMMUNITY STEPPED UP IN MANY WAYS TO OFFER ASSISTANCE TO THOSE MOST IN NEED. AT THAT TIME, THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF FORT WAYNE REALIZED THAT NO OTHER ORGANIZATION WAS PROVIDING FOR PERSONAL HYGIENE NECESSITIES ON A LARGE SCALE. THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE UNITED WAY EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, OUR ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE SHAMPOO, SOAP, BODY LOTION, DEODORANT, TOOTHPASTE, DISH SOAPS, LAUNDRY DETERMINE, FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS, DIAPERS, AND DIAPER WIPES, TO FAMILIES IN NEED. IN 2020, 9,211 TOTAL PACKAGES WERE DISTRIBUTED FROM 04/23/2020-06/18/2020 ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS. THIS EQUATED TO 36,857 INDIVIDUALS (NUMBER IN THE FAMILY). THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF PACKAGES WAS 542 PER DAY. IT HAS BEEN A YEAR AND WE ARE STILL LIVING UNDER COVID-19 PROTOCOLS THAT ARE HITTING THE FAMILIES OF OUR CLUB MEMBERS HARDEST. OUR TEAM WILL PUT TOGETHER HEALTHY HABITS CARE PACKAGES TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE MEMBERS OF OUR CLUBS AND THEIR FAMILIES.