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Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley | After School Programs
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Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley | After School Programs
  • CLUBS & LOCATIONS
    • West
      • Bob Bové Branch, A Thornwood Legacy – Avondale
      • Cartwright Branch – Phoenix
      • Heatherbrae Elementary School – Phoenix
      • Jerry & Helen Wisotsky Branch – Peoria
      • Jerry Colangelo Branch – Phoenix
      • Littleton Club at Underdown Learning Center – Avondale
      • Louis & Elizabeth Sands Branch – Glendale
      • Palm Lane Branch – Phoenix
      • Spencer D. & Mary Jane Stewart Branch – Phoenix
      • Swift Kids Branch – Glendale
      • Yuma Branch – Yuma
    • Central
      • Bob & Renee Parsons Branch – Phoenix
      • Ed Robson Family Branch – Phoenix
      • Harry & Sandy Rosenzweig Branch – Phoenix
      • I.G. Homes Branch – Phoenix
      • Metro North Branch – Phoenix
      • MLB All-Star AZ Diamondbacks Branch: A Kieckhefer Family Legacy – Phoenix
      • Thunderbirds Branch & Peggy Hoag Teen Center – Guadalupe
      • UMOM Branch – Phoenix
      • Warner A. Gabel Branch – Phoenix
    • East
      • Chandler Compadres Branch and Teen Center – Chandler
      • Eisenhower Center for Innovation Branch – Mesa
      • Gilbert Branch – Gilbert
      • Grant Woods Branch & Teen Center – Mesa
      • Ladmo Branch – Tempe
      • North Tempe Branch – Tempe
      • San Tan Heights Branch – San Tan Valley
      • Skyline Ranch Elementary Branch – San Tan Valley
      • Stevenson Branch – Mesa
      • Superstition Mountain Branch – Apache Junction
    • All-Valley
      • AZYouthforce
      • Mesa Arts Academy
      • The Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
      • Program Services Center – Central
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  • CLUBS & LOCATIONS
    • West
      • Bob Bové Branch, A Thornwood Legacy – Avondale
      • Cartwright Branch – Phoenix
      • Heatherbrae Elementary School – Phoenix
      • Jerry & Helen Wisotsky Branch – Peoria
      • Jerry Colangelo Branch – Phoenix
      • Littleton Club at Underdown Learning Center – Avondale
      • Louis & Elizabeth Sands Branch – Glendale
      • Palm Lane Branch – Phoenix
      • Spencer D. & Mary Jane Stewart Branch – Phoenix
      • Swift Kids Branch – Glendale
      • Yuma Branch – Yuma
    • Central
      • Bob & Renee Parsons Branch – Phoenix
      • Ed Robson Family Branch – Phoenix
      • Harry & Sandy Rosenzweig Branch – Phoenix
      • I.G. Homes Branch – Phoenix
      • Metro North Branch – Phoenix
      • MLB All-Star AZ Diamondbacks Branch: A Kieckhefer Family Legacy – Phoenix
      • Thunderbirds Branch & Peggy Hoag Teen Center – Guadalupe
      • UMOM Branch – Phoenix
      • Warner A. Gabel Branch – Phoenix
    • East
      • Chandler Compadres Branch and Teen Center – Chandler
      • Eisenhower Center for Innovation Branch – Mesa
      • Gilbert Branch – Gilbert
      • Grant Woods Branch & Teen Center – Mesa
      • Ladmo Branch – Tempe
      • North Tempe Branch – Tempe
      • San Tan Heights Branch – San Tan Valley
      • Skyline Ranch Elementary Branch – San Tan Valley
      • Stevenson Branch – Mesa
      • Superstition Mountain Branch – Apache Junction
    • All-Valley
      • AZYouthforce
      • Mesa Arts Academy
      • The Parsons Center for Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
      • Program Services Center – Central
  • Programs
    • After School
    • Sports Programs
    • AZYouthforce
    • Behavioral Health
    • Summer Camp
    • Scholarship Opportunities
    • Safety at Clubs
    • Online Resources
  • Get Involved
    • Donate
    • Monthly Giving
    • Arizona Tax Credit
    • Attend an Event
    • Employer Matching Gifts
    • Estate & Legacy Giving
    • Support Us As You Shop
    • Corporate Partners
    • Volunteer
      • CONNECT
      • Alumni
  • News
  • Events
  • About
    • Success Stories
    • Impact
    • Leadership
      • Senior Leadership
      • Board of Directors
      • CONNECT
    • Foundation
    • Annual & Financial Reports
    • Economic Impact Report
    • BGCAZ Merger Case Statement
    • BGCAZ Brand Guidelines (Media Kit)
    • Careers
  • Contact Us

Thunderbirds Charities Partners with BGCAZ

Thunderbirds Charities Helps to Bridge the Digital Divide

Thunderbirds Charities awarded $150,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley (BGCAZ) to fund their “Bridging the Digital Divide” project. BGCAZ will use the money to upgrade the technology at 24+ Clubs throughout the Valley. BGCAZ’s technology and infrastructure team will use these funds to upgrade campus-wide Wi-Fi, update routers and firewalls for increased speed and Internet security.

“Thunderbirds Charities has supported Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley in so many ways over the years, and they were one of the very first to step up to support our operations during the pandemic.  This crisis revealed the critical need for us to invest in our digital infrastructure to support our students,” said Marcia Mintz, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley. “Having 100+ students log in for distance learning every day, in every Club, revealed the gaps we had in our technology and security systems. This investment will help support our members’ secure connections to their classrooms and to our programs.”

Recently BGCAZ held a ribbon-cutting for their Cox Innovation Lab at the Thunderbirds Branch in Guadalupe. With the support of Cox Communications and the Arizona Cardinals, the lab features robotics, 3D printing, a music studio, virtual reality, gaming, computers, and more.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley offers affordable after-school and summer programs for young people in grades K-12. BGCAZ provides award-winning programs designed to change the lives of young people. For 75 years, BGCAZ has been creating equity for youth through academic, social, and workforce opportunities. We help young people make healthy decisions and focus on social and emotional development to build resilient young adults. Most importantly, we work to develop strong character and leadership skills by creating positive connections to caring adults and their community

BGCAZ is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

Club Member earns top honor for Best Young Filmmaker

Chandler Film Festival Awards 2021 - Best Young FilmmakerCongratulations to Jerry Colangelo Branch member, Angel D., for winning the Best Young Filmmaker:  A Short Film by Angel at the Chandler Film Festival. A few months ago the organization reached out to the Clubs to create a short film for this year’s Chandler Film Festival.

Angel, a teen member at the Jerry Colangelo Club and from the Phoenix area, is a part of our C2C program with Clubhouse Network and a member of the Fresh Films program. “When Angel found out about the opportunity he was ecstatic,” said Teen Tech Coordinator, Fabian R. “He is a creative kid with proficient filmmaking skills for his age, which made him a perfect fit.”

The Club supplied him with some of the equipment and resources we have to offer in our Best Buy Teen Tech Center and guided him through the process of developing his short film. Prior to the event, Fabien received a call from the event coordinator informing us he was nominated for the Chandler Schools/Boys & Girls Club – Best Young Filmmaker Award.

Angel and Fabian attended the red carpet event at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Chandler. Angel’s experience was the most interesting thing to observe, noted Fabian, “I could tell he was enjoying every moment, knowing something he worked hard for was getting appreciated and noticed. Moments like these are why we love the job that we do.  We are very proud of him, and can’t wait to see him grow each day.”

 

Youth of the Year Announced for 2021

Vakentae C., 2021 BGCAZ Youth of the YearVakentae C. from the I.G. Homes Branch!

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley is thrilled to announce this talented teen and our 2021 Youth of the Year. Vakentae competes next at the Arizona Boys & Girls Clubs State Youth of the Year competition in March.

On Friday night, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals announced Vakentae’e win. Fitzgerald will be honored by BGCAZ for his contributions to Arizona’s youth at Today’s Kids, Tomorrow’s Stars on May 1st.

A senior at Central High School, Vakentae joined I.G. Homes when he moved here a few years ago. He’s looking forward to pursuing a college degree that will allow him to teach and become an author.

His win marks the I.G. Homes Branch’s 3rd Youth of the Year winner in a row – a Three-Peat! And Vakentae was our very first intern hired from the AZYouthforce program in recognition of his outstanding work at the Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor – General Dynamics – for making this evening possible!

Youth of the Year Program

Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier recognition program for Club members, promoting service to Club, community, and family; academic success; strong moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability.

Locally, our Clubs recognize members who are high school sophomores through seniors to represent their Clubs at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley annual competition. The winner of the Youth of the Year title moves on to the state competition. State winners each receive an academic award and participate in regional competitions. Five regional winners each receive a $10,000 scholarship and compete on the national level. The National Youth of the Year receives up to an additional $50,000 scholarship and is installed by the President of the United States.

In the United States, the statistic shows only 69% of our high school-aged youth are graduating. We are proud to say at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley teens that are members have a 90% graduation rate! We focus on making sure that every member that attends the Club gets the support and academic resources necessary to progress from one grade to the next at the appropriate age and that they are graduating on time. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley believe that continued education is just as important. We provide scholarship money to help get our teens into the trade schools or colleges of their dreams. Our annual Youth of the Year program raises the funds necessary to let this happen.

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley Presents Fourth Annual Renee Parsons Girls Leadership Award And New Renee Parsons Excellence Award

The Bob & Reness Parsons Foundation

Awardees receive surprise announcements via Zoom call with Renee Parsons

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (January 13, 2021) – Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley (BGCAZ) has presented its fourth annual Renee Parsons Girls Leadership Award. Driven by businesswoman and philanthropist, Renee Parsons, the award honors girls who have demonstrated three fundamental leadership qualities – collaboration, assertiveness and empathy – and awards the recipient up to $80,000 of scholarship funding over four years and a new laptop.

“As a businesswoman, I feel compelled to support the next generation of female leaders and that’s what this scholarship is all about,” said Renee Parsons, Co-Founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation and President and Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel. “It’s about encouraging young women to be fearless and confident. Education is a powerful tool that breaks down barriers and gives youth the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”

Formally presented via a Zoom call with Parsons, the announcement came as a surprise to the 2020 award winner, Kaiah James. James believed the call marked the final stage of the interview process but after a few standard questions, Parsons delivered the news that James had been selected as this year’s recipient. The full announcement can be viewed here.

“This award sparks generational forward movement and legacy,” said Eric and Shannon James, Kaiah’s parents. “It has been instilled in us that the next generation should strive to do better than the last, and with this scholarship, Kaiah will be able to do just that. It’s given her the ability to enter the workforce with financial freedom and get that head start that many African American children, unfortunately, don’t have.”

While many of the Foundation’s grants support a broad range of youth and underserved adults, Parsons is personally invested in providing motivated girls with the resources to become happy, thriving, and successful women. Inspired by the list of applicants and her personal conversation with James, Parsons decided to offer a second BGCAZ girls’ leadership scholarship this year – the Renee Parsons Excellence Award – to Amaya Jones. This award pres

ents the recipient up to $40,000 of scholarship funding over four years and a new laptop. 

The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is a longtime supporter of BGCAZ. Over the years, the Foundation has given a combined $8+ million to the organization, including numerous Youth of the Year scholarships, live auction items, and other donations. 

BGCAZ provides educational and recreational programming designed to help youth reach their full potential as productive members of society. A large focus is placed on academic achievement, personal development, and leadership, resulting in higher than average graduation rates among Club members. To learn more about BGCAZ, and its impact on the community, please visit bgcaz.org. 

About Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley  

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley offers affordable after-school and summer programs for 16,000+ young people in grades K-12. At Clubs across the Valley, BGCAZ provides award-winning programs designed to change the lives of young people. For over 70 years, BGCAZ has been creating equity and opportunity for youth through academic, social, and workforce opportunities. We help young people make healthy decisions and focus on social and emotional development to build resilient young adults. Most importantly, we work to develop strong character and leadership skills by creating positive connections to caring adults and their community. For more information: visit bgcaz.org. 

About The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation

The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundation’s giving is driven by the core belief that all people – regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity – deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit TBRPF.org, to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community.

# # #

Media Contact: Kaitlyn Kor | kkor@bigyam.com | 480-410-6077

Partner Spotlight: Toyota Financial Services

Toyota Financial Services and Boys & Girls Clubs“Making Life Easier.” That’s the motto Toyota Financial Services (TFS) lives by in its commitment to communities across the heartland, but especially here in the Phoenix Valley.

We are committed to making sure individuals who need it most – especially Arizona’s most vulnerable youth – have access to the programs they need to thrive in today’s world,” says Maria Brink, General Manager of the Toyota/Lexus Financial Services. “It is our goal to invest in organizations that have an impact and truly make a difference. Certainly, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley is just such an organization.”

(TFS) has long been a supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs in the valley. Since 2008, TFS has given generously to support programs at the Club that enrich academic achievement, as well as youth mentoring and workforce development. One of the highlights of that investment has been its investment in the inspiring ‘Youth of the Year’ program – the signature program of the Club which highlights the tremendous achievements of Club teens in the areas of academic success, character, and leadership, and community/Club service.

It’s amazing what these kids have done,” said Brink. “I mean, their stories are not just inspiring but these are young people who are going to change the world.”

However, with the challenges faced recently by so many young people throughout the pandemic, TFS recognized it needed to do even more. With BGCAZ’s need to stand in the gap for kids who were without a place to go, school to attend, or adults at home to aid in their education, TFS asked what they could do to help. The Club needed help with the massive demand in technology, staff to assist with distance and remote learning, and upgrades to online safety features. TFS responded in kind with $150,000 to help meet the need.

But Toyota Financial Services is not just about writing a check. Their employees get involved and engaged through volunteerism as well. The number of hours TFS employees have given the Clubs through the years is too numerous to count. From volunteering at local Clubs in kids’ programs to assisting with fundraising events to providing leadership as part of its Board of Directors, BGCAZ has greatly benefitted from the commitment to service demonstrated by TFS employees.

Toyota Financial Services Volunteer at Boys & Girls Clubs
The photo was taken prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s part of who we are… and who we always will be,” Brink said when asked about giving back.

For kids of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley whose lives are being made easier through the commitment of people at Toyota Financial Services, that’s great news.

 

Club Family Spotlight

Club Family Spotlight

Our Club Family Spotlight features members who have truly needed the Club during the pandemic. Kevin and Andrew have been active members of the Stewart Boys & Girls Club for years. This summer changed everything for their family. Dad passed away from COVID-19 in June and Mom was left to find work to support their family and keep them afloat. Virtual learning at home was tough and Mom needed help.

Mom turned to the Club for financial aid during this tough time and had the boys enrolled in distance learning at the Club. She knew they would be safe at the Club, and there are stable, supportive adults who care about them.  Additionally, the boys were with friends who can provide some sense of normalcy.

Many Club families have found the Club as a place to rely on during Covid-19 for their children to provide meals, distance learning assistance, internet access, and simply for emotional stability.  Also as a resource for the care of their kids while searching for work.

Donors around the Valley are adopting Club families who have struggled during the pandemic to ensure they can enjoy the simple joys of the season.  The Adopt-A-Family program at BGCAZ has two ways to support Club Families in need  1) You do the Shopping or 2) We do the Shopping.

You do the shopping

Club staff will identify a family and prepare a Family Information Sheet listing their needs. You do the shopping and deliver the items to the family. Club Staff will coordinate delivery details with you. Please sign up by November 15th.

We do the shopping

If you are unable to do the shopping yourself, we can help! We suggest a minimum of $150 per family member. You let us know what size family you want to adopt, and we will make the appropriate arrangements. You can help deliver the goodies if you like!

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Thank you to the Valley of the Sun United Way for your support of quality after school programs at our BGCAZ Clubs. Learn More

BGCAZ is a 501(c)3 (nonprofit) organization and donations are tax deductible. Federal Tax ID: 86-0550646

 

Arizona State QCO Code: 20331 (Arizona DOR Form 321)

Mesa Arts Academy (School Tax Credit – CTDS #078613101 on AZDOR Form 322)​ 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

 

BGCAZ does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, genetics, veteran or disability status

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