RISE TO THE CHALLENGE | EMERGE STRONG - TEST CAMPAIGN
Reaching this milestone will help ensure that we can retain our dedicated staff during the Covid-19 crisis. They are our heroes who provide critical services to youth who need us most
As the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to challenge us all and our very way of life, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco once again stands tall. Day after day after day, the Club shows up, opening our doors and our hearts. Everything that we have done throughout this crisis is 100% focused on the health and well-being of young people. From in-Clubhouse programs, to daily lunch service, to a virtual Clubhouse experience, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco is offering a continuum of care for young people that is keeping them connected to their support systems, bringing routine and normalcy to their lives, and facilitating continued learning and advancement.
Assistant BGCSF Beacon Director, Sydney Dow, explains what it means to her to be able to continue serving youth during this time. We are so grateful for our amazing staff, like Sydney, who continue to show up for our youth every day!
As we all adjust to life with a shelter-in-place mandate, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco has had to respond to a massive change in how we offer our services and provide support to our youth and their families as they navigate the challenges this crisis presents. With the School District (SFUSD) instituting Distance Learning for the remaining school year, BGCSF’s Education team has had to respond rapidly to this change in medium of instruction at school. Led by BGCSF’s Citywide Education Director Brian Sauer, Clubhouse Education professionals are developing innovative virtual academic support for our members. We are pleased to share an interview with Brian about Distance Learning as a parent with two young children, along with his plans for how BGCSF can provide academic enrichment and support in this new paradigm.
As you know, our Clubhouses are located in communities that face significant challenges in the best of times. During this unprecedented time of crisis, we are ALL in this together and we need YOUR HELP. We need financial support to sustain what we are doing now, in the heart of the crisis, and we need support to make sure we are strong and nimble coming out of the health crisis. We are clear that the greatest suffering that will occur as a result of this disease -- and the many ramifications on society because of the disease -- will be felt by those in poor and marginalized communities. Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco’s families -- and others like them -- will most likely suffer more and suffer longer, paying a disproportionate price as they always do.
BGCSF is launching a $3M funding drive to sustain our organization through September 30th, the end of our fiscal year. To lead the effort, our Board of Governors and Board of Trustees are contributing $1M toward our $3M goal. The Rise to the Challenge | Emerge Strong Campaign seeks to raise all the critical funds needed to replace the Club’s three remaining events for this fiscal year -- the Gala, golf tournament, and poker tournament.
Over the past year, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco has served more than 19,000 youth and nearly 1,900 each day. Our contribution to kids and families in San Francisco never waivers, and in trying times like these our contribution as an anchor institution with trust and deep relationships in our neighborhoods is more important than ever. And, when we emerge from this health crisis and face the social and economic challenges that await us, the Club will, again, be there, standing shoulder to shoulder with youth, families and neighborhoods. TOGETHER, WE ARE STRONG.
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We are deeply grateful for the significant contributions made by our Rise to the Challenge Corporate Lead Donors. These generous supporters are critical to our success.