Boys & Girls Clubs Of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth
To enhance the character of youth through recreation, education and other positive community experiences in partnership with the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Description:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth operates 2 clubs and a resident camp in Kent County. We have full-time youth development professionals supplemented by part-time staff and volunteers. Our Club programs are open after-school until 9pm in the evening during the school year. We are open extended hours during the summer and non-school days.
We serve youth ages 8-18. Because we feel that it is important that all children can afford to participate in our programs, we keep our membership fees ($5.00 per year) so that any child can afford to belong.
Boys & Girls Clubs seeks to help all youth live full and satisfying lives. The outcomes below describe our expectations and goals for young people. Through frequent participation in Club programming that intentionally incorporates the key elements, young people become productive, responsible, and caring citizens.
Outcomes, expectations and goals for young people are essential to help them to succeed. Those outcomes, expectations and goals are defined as:
• Positive Self-Identity: Youth set and attain goals and have a positive view of their future, confidently making the necessary decisions to achieve their life plans. They become self-sufficient and are able to support themselves and others.
• Health and Well-being: Youth adopt a healthy diet. They practice healthy lifestyle choices and make a lifelong commitment to fitness.
• Positive Values: Youth develop and demonstrate strong character and are guided by positive values including honesty, integrity, caring and fairness.
• Commitment to Learning: Youth value education and lifelong learning and make them an integral part of their future plans.
• Social Competency: Youth have positive relationships with family, friends and coworkers and appreciate cultural diversity.
• Community and Civic Involvement: Youth are engaged citizens of their community and the world
Our programs implement a Youth Development Strategy that builds a sense of belonging, a sense of usefulness, a sense of influence/power, a sense of competency in our youth. When this strategy is successfully implemented, the self-esteem of youth is greatly enhanced.
History:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth was founded as the Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth in 1938, and incorporated in 1939, by then Superintendent of Police, Frank O’Malley, Capt. Charles Winslow, and six businessmen from the Grand Rapids community as a response to juvenile crime. This board of directors organized to develop recreational centers and a camp to “promote the character and general welfare of boys and girls in Grand Rapids and Kent County.”
Over the next few years, Youth Commonwealth centers operated in various renovated houses, public gymnasiums and other buildings. The first youth center was a renovated house on Finney Street known as “O’Malley’s Place”. Land was acquired on the Thornapple River in Caledonia Township in 1939, and Camp O’Malley hosted its first roster of campers in 1942.
In 1989, the West Side Center was razed for structural reasons and services were moved to nearby Sibley Elementary School. In 2000, the Steil Boys & Girls Club was built and major renovations were made to the Seidman Boys & Girls Club. Also in that year the police officer director was replaced by a civilian. Since that time, a civilian office administrator has also been added.
In 2007, Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth became affiliated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, becoming a part of the fastest growing youth movements in the country.
Contact person: Patrick Gunnin, Executive Director, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (616) 233-9371
Address:
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235 Straight Avenue NWGrand Rapids, MI 49504(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.bgcgryc.org
Directions:
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From Hwy. 131, take the Pearl Street exit and go west. Turn right on Straight Avenue. The office is located in the Steil Boys & Girls Club. |
| Last updated on June 18, 2009 |
