The Cynthia M. Banks Sustainable Clubhouse Fund
A healthier, safer, and more sustainable Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse for the next generation of Newark youth.
For generations, the Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse has been a place where young people discover who they are and who they can become.
It is where children learn to swim, young people discover STEM, teens prepare for college and careers, families find wellness support, and caring mentors help turn possibility into a plan for the future.
Her legacy lives within these walls.
Today, the Clubhouse that proudly bears her name continues that legacy as a home for academic support, workforce development, STEM education, aquatics, athletics, wellness services, mentorship, and countless moments that help young people imagine what comes next.
After decades of constant use, however, the building that has given so much to our community now needs our care in return.
Every day, the Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse comes alive with possibility.
Children learn to swim in one of only two indoor pools in Newark, building confidence, water-safety skills, and even pathways to lifeguard certification and employment.
Teens gather in spaces where mentorship, leadership development, college preparation, and workforce experiences help prepare them for life beyond graduation.
Young people explore robotics, coding, athletics, creative expression, and new interests in spaces designed to let them discover what they are capable of.
Youth and families find wellness services and support within a Clubhouse that cares for the whole child.
Behind every one of these opportunities is a building that has faithfully served Newark youth for decades.
Today, many of its most critical systems have reached the end of their useful life. Aging heating and cooling equipment, aquatics infrastructure, mechanical and electrical systems, and other essential building components must be modernized to create a healthier, more reliable, and more energy-efficient Clubhouse.
The work happening inside these walls has never been more important.
Now, the building itself must be strengthened for what comes next.
The Cynthia M. Banks Sustainable Clubhouse Fund is an investment in the future of the place generations of Newark youth have called their Club.
Through a $10 million capital campaign, Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark will modernize critical infrastructure, improve energy efficiency, strengthen the spaces where young people learn and grow, and establish resources to protect the Clubhouse for generations to come.
Modernize Building Systems
Replace aging HVAC equipment and upgrade mechanical and electrical infrastructure to provide reliable heating, cooling, ventilation, and healthier indoor environments throughout the Clubhouse.
Preserve Newark's Aquatics Center
Modernize critical infrastructure supporting one of only two indoor pools in Newark, including high-efficiency heating, regenerative filtration, waterproofing, gutter reconstruction, and other improvements necessary to preserve year-round aquatics opportunities.
Improve Energy Efficiency
Introduce modern building systems, upgraded controls, and sustainable infrastructure that reduce energy consumption and operating costs while improving comfort and reliability.
Reimagine Learning & Wellness Spaces
Modernize classrooms, teen spaces, wellness areas, athletic facilities, and gathering spaces so the physical environment continues to support academic success, workforce development, leadership, wellness, and healthy lifestyles.
Strengthen Safety & Accessibility
Invest in building infrastructure, accessibility, and life-safety improvements that create a safer, more resilient, and more inclusive Clubhouse for every child and family.
Sustain the Future
Establish a permanent capital reserve dedicated to the long-term care of the Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse so today's investment continues protecting opportunities for generations to come.
This campaign is about more than replacing equipment or renovating rooms.
It is about protecting swim lessons that build confidence and lead to a young person's first job. It is about classrooms where curiosity becomes a passion for STEM. It is about spaces where teens find mentors, families find support, and young people begin imagining lives beyond what they thought possible.
The Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse has helped build Newark's future for generations. Now, together, we can build its future.
Your investment today will help ensure tomorrow's Club Kids inherit a Clubhouse that is healthier, safer, more sustainable, and ready for everything they will become.
Building Tomorrow Starts Today.
Invest in the Cynthia M. Banks Sustainable Clubhouse Fund.
Open the Door
Helps strengthen the Clubhouse for the next generation.
Recognition Includes:
- Donor listing on BGCN website
- Personalized thank-you from campaign co-chairs
Renew a Space
Supports improvements where youth learn and grow.
Recognition Includes:
- Recognition in campaign communications
- Commemorative Clubhouse art print
Power Possibility
Advances a more efficient, future-ready Clubhouse.
Recognition Includes:
- Special thank-you letter from BGCN youth
- Recognition on the Legacy Wall of Leadership
- Listed in the campaign journal
Build for Tomorrow
Invests in modernization that supports youth every day.
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
Transform the Clubhouse
Helps reimagine critical spaces and systems for the future.
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
Club Kids First
Creates lasting impact for generations of Newark youth.
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
Legacy Partner
Creates lasting impact for generations of Newark youth.
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
Future Builder
Helps shape a modern Clubhouse built to serve generations.
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
Transformational Partner
Powers the next era of the Cynthia M. Banks Clubhouse.