The Cynthia M. Banks Youth Development Fund
You are part of a very special story for the Boys & Girls Club of Newark.
For over 38 years, Cynthia M. Banks has been the heart of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark. As our Vice President of Operations and a cherished mentor, Cynthia has dedicated her life to ensuring that every child who walks through our doors is welcomed with compassion, offered opportunity, and empowered to realize their full potential. Whether greeting a new member with a warm smile, mentoring teens through difficult transitions, or building programs that changed lives, Cynthia’s leadership has shaped the very soul of our Clubhouse.
You have a role in this story. Now, it’s your turn to join in honoring her legacy and match her decades of service with a commitment of your own. We are launching a campaign to lay the solid foundation for our flagship Clubhouse that will be forever named the Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse, a living tribute to a woman who gave her heart to Newark’s youth and made sure that every Club Kid knew they mattered. This Club will forever carry her name and uphold her values of kindness, perseverance, and an unshakable belief in every child’s potential.
The Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse will be a beacon of hope and opportunity where generations of young people will feel seen, heard, and supported. Cynthia’s legacy isn’t measured in awards or titles, but in the lives she touched, the futures she helped shape, and the community she helped build. Through stories of success you and so many share in, her influence reaches far beyond the Club walls. She is the thread connecting past, present, and future — and the Clubhouse will stand as a symbol of her extraordinary commitment to Newark’s young people.
To honor Cynthia’s legacy in a way that reflects the depth of her contributions, the Cynthia M. Banks Youth Development Fund has been created to ensure that our Clubhouse remains a dynamic, inspiring, and safe space for future generations. This $10 million transformative investment will fund critical capital improvements, programmatic expansion, and scholarships for children in need of support…forever.
With your help, we will:
- Officially name the Clubhouse in honor of Cynthia M. Banks, celebrating her 38 years of transformative service.
- Renovate and enhance the Clubhouse infrastructure to meet the growing needs of youth in our community.
- Expand STEM, wellness, and aquatics programming to equip members with 21st-century skills, support their physical and emotional health, and spark curiosity.
- Ensure safety, accessibility, and sustainability upgrades, so that every child and family feels welcome and secure in a modern, inclusive facility.
- Provide scholarships and financial assistance to ensure that every child who needs the Boys & Girls Club can attend, regardless of their circumstances.
Raising $10 million is bold, but bold is exactly what Cynthia has always been. She never backed down from a challenge when it came to serving young people, and you carry that same passion within you. Her legacy deserves nothing less, and our Club Kids deserve even more.
That phrase rings true for you and the thousands of young people and perfect strangers who have walked through the doors of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark and into Cynthia’s welcoming embrace. For nearly four decades, she has been more than a mentor, she has been a champion, a counselor, a guiding light, and for many, a second mother.
Cynthia’s dedication has helped shape confident students, passionate leaders, and compassionate citizens. Her Club Kids have grown into educators, entrepreneurs, doctors, artists, community advocates, and elected officials, and so many of you have returned to the Club to give back, serve on the Board, or lead programs of your own. Her door is always open to you, her advice always thoughtful, and her love always unconditional. Always.
In recognition of her extraordinary service, Cynthia has received many prestigious honors throughout her career. These include the Professional of the Year Award, the Herman S. Prescott Award, the BGCA Northeast Region Legacy Award, the Distinguished Service Award, the National Service to Youth Award, and several civic and municipal honors from the City of Newark, Essex County, and the State of New Jersey. She is also a recipient of the Women in Leadership Award from the New Jersey Nonprofit Council and was inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey Hall of Fame. Each accolade affirms what you already know - Cynthia’s life’s work has not only changed lives but changed the city of Newark for the better.
Yet, if you ask Cynthia, she’ll say her greatest reward has always been seeing “her kids” grow and thrive. She takes pride in every college acceptance letter, every graduation, every job offer, and every young person who walks back through our doors to say, “I made it because of you.”
Naming the Clubhouse in her honor is about ensuring that her love and leadership continue to echo in these halls for generations to come.
At the Boys & Girls Club of Newark, we believe in the power of Club Kids to transform their communities and our world. That’s why this campaign is about more than bricks and mortar. It’s about investing in equity, opportunity, and belonging. It’s about giving every young person in Newark the resources they need to thrive and the role models they deserve.
Open the door. Build the future. Honor the legacy.
Join us in securing the legacy of the Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse - a home for hope, a center of growth, and a beacon of everything that Cynthia stood for.
The Cynthia Circle
Establish your enduring legacy alongside Cynthia M. Banks by funding the largest naming opportunity in the campaign.
Builders of Belonging
Celebrate Cynthia’s unmatched ability to make every child feel seen, safe, and supported.
Recognition Includes:
- An annual outing with Ms. Banks including a rest on your Named Bench or mural tile in the clubhouse courtyard or wellness wing
- A special Clubhouse blueprint print commemorating your contribution suitable for framing and signed my Ms. Banks
- Recognition on the Legacy Wall of Leadership
- Recognition at the Evening of the Stars Gala
Matriarchs of Change
Honor Cynthia by advancing the programs she built and the Club Kids she inspired.
Recognition Includes:
- Naming of an essential program area (e.g., READY Wellness Center, Triple Play Court)
- Recognition at the Evening of the Stars Gala
- Recognition on the Legacy Wall of Leadership
Club Kids First
Support the operational core of the new Clubhouse and empower the next generation of Newark leaders.
Recognition Includes:
- Naming rights to key youth spaces (e.g., Literacy Lounge, Class Room)
- Invitation to a Club Kids Leadership Lunch
- Recognition on the Legacy Wall of Leadership
The Future Builders
Your leadership gift propels the campaign forward, ensuring our spaces and programs match the excellence Cynthia modeled.
Recognition Includes:
- Naming rights to a premier space (e.g., Teen Lounge, Aquatics Center)
- Spotlight feature in BGCN's Annual Report and Gala
- Invitation to special donor roundtables with BGCN leadership
- Recognition on the Legacy Wall of Leadership
Torchbearers
Carry Cynthia’s torch by keeping academic, wellness, and leadership opportunities accessible to all.
Recognition Includes:
- Club Kid dedication letter from a current member
- Recognition on the Legacy Wall of Leadership
- Recognition in campaign report
- A special torch pin
Voices of Impact
Celebrate the impact of mentorship by investing in spaces where young voices grow into strong leaders.
Recognition Includes:
- Special thank-you letter from BGCN youth
- Recognition on the Legacy Wall of Leadership
- Listed in the campaign journal
Cynthia’s Circle of Care
Honor the day-to-day care Cynthia showed our kids by helping build a space that nurtures future generations.
Recognition Includes:
- Recognition in campaign communications
- Commemorative Clubhouse art print
Great Futures Founders
Invest in the promise Cynthia saw in every Club Kid.
Recognition Includes:
- Donor listing on BGCN website
- Personalized thank-you from campaign co-chairs
Once a Club Kid, Always a Club Kid
Every dollar helps open the door to great futures.
Recognition Includes:
- Thank-you card
- Listed as a “Club Kid Ally” in the campaign wrap-up email