Agency Overview
Agency Mission:
The mission of the Boys & Girls Club is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from challenging circumstances, to realize their fullest potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. Our organization currently operates four centers within the Kingsport community to reach youth from these challenging circumstances. These centers include:
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Eastman Center (1 Positive Place) - 1,166 members
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Cloud Boys & Girls Club - 55 members
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Holly Hills Boys & Girls Club - 30 members
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Riverview Boys & Girls Club - 50 members
Membership
Any school age child may become a member. Membership fee is $10.00 per year and is valid from September 1st to August 31st. No child is denied membership because of an inability to pay the fee. In 2009, we served 1,301 youth at our four locations. Our average daily attendance is 265 youth at these centers.
Membership Profile
The Boys & Girls Club has traditionally, and continues, to serve a high percentage of youth from low-income families. Approximately 91% of our current membership qualify for free or reduced meals through our USDA feeding program. Last year, we provided 48,000 meals to children at all four units. We are a licensed Child Care Agency for school age children and participate in the state Child Care Program provided by Upper East Tennessee Human Development (U.E.T.H.D.A.). In 2009, our organization was awarded two Program Excellence awards by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tennessee Area Council. One award was given for our Education and Career Development Program and the other for our Sports, Fitness and Recreation Program.
One of the major contributions that the Boys & Girls Club makes to the community is to provide an opportunity for youngsters from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds to participate in a related setting, which promotes inter-group understanding and enhances social development.
Our core program areas include:
A. Personal & Education Development - Goals in this core area are to develop positive self-esteem and self-confidence, to offer opportunities for academic achievement, refresh learning skills, and provide guidance, self-discipline, and personal responsibility. Staff and volunteers provide positive role models.
1) Learning Centers - The Club partners with Kingsport City and Sullivan County schools to provide students with after-school
academic and cultural enrichment programs through LEAP Grant and Project LEARN. The educational director works with each
club member's teacher to identify the needs of that particular child, and, in addition, provides tutoring and homework assistance to
improve academic performance.
2) Homework/Tutoring Assistance - Services provided in this area included tutoring to help enhance adademic skills, homework assistance, reading club, and special activities on a daily basis.
3) Technology Centers – We have three computer labs and provide several programs to develop technical skills. We will also provide a digital arts program working on photo illustration, music-making, movie-making, web design, and graphic design.
Other programs include:
B. Social & Leadership Development Activities – The goals of our social and
leadership development activities are to assist Club members with citizenship
awareness through community involvement, leadership development, and
development of positive self-esteem, self-confidence, and social skills. These goals are met
through programs such as:
1) SMART Moves: This program educates Club members ages 6-18 on the issues of
drug and alcohol awareness. It is a 17-week program that is provided at
least once a week.
2) The "Soul" Component of Triple Play: This component of Triple Play is demonstrated through social recreation
tournaments that are served to our Club members in each of their pod areas. This program increases Club
members' ability to interact positively with all youth and engage in healthy relationships.
Other programs in this core program area include:
C. Health & Physical Education Activities – The goals of our health and physical education activities are to
promote a healthy lifestyle, skill development, teamwork, responsibility, sportsmanship, and positive
self-esteem and confidence. We meet these goals by incorporating the Triple Play Program into our
existing health and physical education program. Triple Play is a game plan for the mind, body, and soul.
The Club offers several organized team sports in this area that has served 516 boys & girls in 2009.
We offer football, baseball, and basketball.
D. Individual Family Services – This program provides assistance of food,
clothing, medical care, dental care, rent, utilities, and other services. We served over
400 club members and their families during the past year.
E. Cultural Enrichment – Our cultural enrichment program promotes skill
development through creative self-expression, hands-on activities, and positive
recognition to increase self-esteem and confidence.
Capital Campaign
We are transitioning into our new 44,000 square foot center and campus that includes a playground, golf center, and athletic fields. This new facility allows us to serve more Kingsport children with quality prevention, education, and wellness programs but also serves as a community center for group meetings, sports, and special events. At the present time, we have raised $2.4 million of the $2.5 million needed to complete the building project, and will raise the remaining $500,000 in 2009 - 2010.
Budget
Our 2010 preliminary operating budget is $1,055,468.00. We will receive $239,101 or 23% of our operating budget from the United Way.
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